Flu jab missing the mark in seasonal campaign

Thu, 21 Feb 2008 06:59:55 -0500

There's growing evidence around the U.S. that the flu jab offers only marginal protection against the seasonal ailment. In Texas, doctors say this year's flu vaccine guarded against less than 30 percent of all flu viruses. The vaccine, which is revised every year to make it as effective as possible, usually works against 70 percent to 90 percent of all the viruses in circulation. Across the country, physicians are reporting an efficacy rate of around 50 percent. Lower response rates are likely to generate a large crop of misery.

"If this vaccine is not working as well as we'd hoped, it has the makings of being one of the worst years for flu," Dr. R. Doug Hardy, infectious disease specialist at Children's Medical Center Dallas and UT Southwestern Medical Center, told the Dallas Morning News.

- read the report in The Dallas Morning News

ALSO: WHO is recommending a whole new flu vaccine for next season after seeing the virus mutate unexpectedly. Report

PLUS: And the FDA brought together a large group of flu specialists this week to do just that. Report

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