HEALTH CDC: Season’s Flu Vaccine ‘Mismatch’ for Main Strain Hitting Children

[Ragnarok]

The flu season is far from over, yet a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states this season’s vaccine for the flu strain primarily affecting children is only a 58 percent match.

“It’s not a very good match for B/Victoria,” Anthony Fauci, MD, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), told CNN Health. “It’s not an awful match, but it’s not a very good match.”

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases is part of the National Institutes of Health, an agency of the Department of Health and Human Services.

Fauci said that while the flu shot will not be very effective for prevention of infection with the B/Victoria strain in children, it could still help protect them from becoming seriously ill and also prevent infection with the H1N1 strain of influenza for which the vaccine is “a really good match.”

In a video at the NIAID website, Fauci recommended tips for avoiding the flu this winter, including staying away from crowded areas and washing hands frequently.

“Key indicators that track flu activity declined slightly but remain high,” the CDC states in its latest “FluView” weekly report. “Indicators that track severity (hospitalizations and deaths) are not high at this point in the season.”

According to the CDC, at least 13 million flu illnesses, 120,000 hospitalizations, and 6,600 deaths due to flu are estimated to have occurred this season thus far.

CDC: Season’s Flu Vaccine ‘Mismatch’ for Main Strain Hitting Children

The CDC states this season’s vaccine for the B/Victoria flu strain primarily affecting children is only a 58 percent match.

www.breitbart.com

The report notes that office visits to health care providers for flu-like symptoms dropped from 5.7 percent last week to 4.7 percent this week.
The overall hospitalization rate for this season is up to 19.9 per 100,000 people. The report observes the percentage of deaths due to pneumonia and influenza jumped up from 6.0 to 6.9 percent. The number of child deaths due to influenza this season is 39 thus far.
The CDC notes that influenza viruses “are constantly changing … and thus ongoing data collection and characterization of the viruses are required.”

 

[Reasonable Rascal]

It is always a crap shoot, trying to guesstimate what the main endangering strain is going to be 9 months or longer in advance. But 58% sure beats a total miss.

If we ever develop a working system where we can sequence a strain and produce a decent vaccine in quantity in a matter of weeks rather than months it would go a very long ways toward protecting us as a whole.

RR

 

[Bps1691]

According to simple and quick search--->

2019 – 20 CDC Flu vaccine not a good match

2018-19 · The vaccine did not have a good match to that strain and it looks like vaccine effectiveness in the northern hemisphere has either been mediocre or not effective at all for certain groups with this strain.

2017-18 This year's vaccine does not seem to be a good match for the most common circulating strain, so protection may not be adequate.

That’s the last three years, lucky that so far it’s been the old “close enough for hand grenades” type of flu. Maybe they’d better have a talk with who ever is picking from the different strains about improving their guesses.

 

[blackjeep]

Flu shots

 

[thompson]

Weekly US Map: Influenza Summary Update

A Weekly Influenza Surveillance Report Prepared by the Influenza Division

www.cdc.gov

 

[Old Gray Mare]

Even if they had gotten the strain right, by the time the vaccine was made, distributed and people get stuck with it, it's possible the strain out in the world could have mutated to the point that the vaccine would no longer be effective. Viruses mutate, it's what they do.

 

[JMG91]

Our family--including the two year old--had the flu for the first time. The doctor told us that my daughter had Influenza A. I gave everyone elderberry, and my daughter had a fever for two days, then she was over it. I've never seen such a short bout with the flu. That elderberry is awesome! I'd rather rely on that, as studies of sambucus nigra have shown that it treats all strains of the flu. I'm pregnant, and had a fever for three days, and it broke without any further complications.

 

[David Nettleton]

Heard tell our local doctors are seeing many children coming in with type B. They are treated and begin to improve but get sick again. This second round is type A.

 

[raven]

Population of United States - 330 million
Number of doses of Flu Vaccine produced - 165 million
Effectiveness is 58 percent? What does that mean? Does it mean that this vaccine is a match for 58 percent of the types of Flu? NO! If it is not effective for a particular strain, then it is not effective - you do not get partial protection.
Typical bureaucrat wordsmith for failure.

 

[Reasonable Rascal]

According to simple and quick search--->

2019 – 20 CDC Flu vaccine not a good match

2018-19 · The vaccine did not have a good match to that strain and it looks like vaccine effectiveness in the northern hemisphere has either been mediocre or not effective at all for certain groups with this strain.

2017-18 This year's vaccine does not seem to be a good match for the most common circulating strain, so protection may not be adequate.

That’s the last three years, lucky that so far it’s been the old “close enough for hand grenades” type of flu. Maybe they’d better have a talk with who ever is picking from the different strains about improving their guesses.

So further define if you will what a good match would be. Personally I wish it could be an 80-95% match every year but that just isn't going to happen with the current state of medical science.

Despite the less-than-perfect match the rate of infection is more than double for the non-vaccinated than with those who received it. The death rate is also higher.

RR

 

[bev]

My oldest grandson (10) had flu-B a couple weeks ago. He was one sick kid, and finally felt better after about 6 days. It started with very mild cold-type symptoms.