Newly developed flu vaccine

The flu vaccine is currently being studied and researched by scientists, adding ingredients to increase protection against three new strains of influenza virus.

Recently, the advisor of the Food and Drug Administration agreed to support the introduction of a new formula, adapted from a previous decision by the WHO. This is clearly a very remarkable opportunity because: there are rarely more than one or two new strains of viruses interchangeable from year to year.

(Photo: Palmbeachpost.com) Currently, the question is whether vaccine manufacturers can change in time and quickly produce more than 100 million doses of vaccine this fall. According to Professor Nancy Cox, head of influenza steering at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), scientists will have a lot of work to do to get vaccines to prevent influenza. the best.

One concern is the new virus strain named Brisbane / 10 . This strain usually thrives in the winter and grows slowly in the laboratory. They often complicate the vaccine production process, which is already costly.

Every year, influenza vaccines must be studied and recalculated to keep up with fast-growing viruses. This year, the US government has bet on viruses that will cause the most diseases for humans. Flu season usually starts slowly and thrives in mid-January when many types of viruses appear. According to CDC, currently the US vaccine only protects about 40% of the virus.

Brisbane / 10 is a large strain of virus, first discovered in Australia in late winter last year. Therefore, scientists have not been able to timely study the formulation of this vaccine this year. Influenza viruses of many different strains continually change until humans are immune to them and are able to spread widely.

Structural model of a flu virus
(Photo: Wikimedia)

Vaccines are usually only able to protect people from two variants of the Type A-H1N1 flu strain and H3N2 each year - and one from the benign Type B flu strain family.

CDC and many international organizations said that Brisbane / 10, another version of the flu H3N2. In the next year, H3N2 will still be floating. They guessed that a typical second generation Type A influenza strain like H1N1, Brisbane / 59 would appear with a strain of Tybe B. Therefore, the CDC agreed to make a decision to mix 3 types of vaccine into one next year.

Influenza viruses of many different strains are constantly changing and are capable of spreading widely until humans are immune to them.

CDC said that 16 of the last 19 flu seasons have flu vaccines working effectively. However, Ms. Cox also added that 'flu has also been relatively unpredictable.' The formulation of the influenza vaccine must be given about 8 months before being put into production because the production of the flu vaccine is extremely complicated.

Every year, influenza causes about 20% of the world's population, killing 36,000 people and causing 200,000 people to be hospitalized.