Is a universal influenza vaccine in the works?
May be solution for pandemics and yearly flu shots
In August of 2012 researchers discovered an antibody that protects aginst influenza A and influenza B. This antibody may be useful as a treatement for patients who are already infected with the flu. While this treatment would seem to be distinct from a universal flu vaccine, it actually goes hand in hand with vaccination research. The discovery could create a single injection that could be delivered only once and protect against almost all flu strains. This would eliminate the need for yearly flu shots and save billions of dollars in healthcare costs every year. The antibody treatment could be an effective treatment for people who already have the flu, so it would lessen the severity of the illness and prevent deaths in its own right. Scientists also predict that a large enough number of vaccinations could create a "herd immunity" that would prevent the annual spread of flu that kills tens of thousands of Americans every year. Similarly, productivity lost to illness and caring for sick family members would be reduced, there would be fewer doctor and emergency room visits, and more hospital beds would be freed up.
Imagine getting a single flu shot that lasted years, or even a lifetime. A universal flu vaccine is in development that may come sooner rather than later. By targeting factors that are universal to all flu viruses, it may be possible to inoculate people against every kind of flu that is in the world today, and therefore essentially "cure" the flu or at least prevent large scale outbreaks. Even the normal flu season claims thosands of lives every year, from the elderly to small children, so a new universal flu shot could be part of the normal immunization schedule that most children experience.
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Notes and Special Information
Special note: As with any new vaccine, there can be side effects and unknown issues related to vaccination, so it is important to understand all the health risks associated with flu shots and vaccines. That doesn't mean you should go all Jenny McCarthy and tell people to avoid vaccines, or blame every one of your kid's sniffles on a recent vaccination, when kids can get illnesses from just about anything they touch. A universal flu shot could create a herd immunity if enough people get vaccinated, and considering the high number of people that die from the flu each year, you may avoid the guilt associated with your kid infecting his grandma with an illness that could be fatal.