Flu vaccine not designed for new strain

redspy · 10-26-2004, 02:53 PM

Get ready for some time off work, the flu vaccine has missed a growing new strain.....

As Americans scramble for scarce doses of flu vaccine in hopes of warding off the respiratory bug this winter, the wily influenza virus may have other plans. Through a natural process known as antigenic drift, a new strain of influenza that can diminish the effectiveness of today's vaccine is already emerging on the far side of the world......

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl.../10/24/FLU.TMP

nikegurl · 10-26-2004, 03:18 PM

i think this is pretty much the case every year....the vaccine is based on the prior year's strain of the virus so it's common for it to not be completely effective against flu "upgrades" (new strains)

tomas101 · 10-26-2004, 04:00 PM

the flu shot had the same problem last yr also...

edit: what nikegurl said

Randy · 10-26-2004, 04:46 PM

This will always be a possibility, but if the vaccine can eliminate the one major strain that it was created for then hopefully it can still save a lot of lives. There may be other strains that the vaccine will not ward off, but if it can eliminate, or tame any of the bad ones it can still be a major benefit in saving lives.

Nobody has the power of eliminating them all.

nikegurl · 10-26-2004, 05:21 PM

agreed

10-26-2004, 02:53 PM	#1
redspy Member Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 3,040	Flu vaccine not designed for new strain Get ready for some time off work, the flu vaccine has missed a growing new strain..... As Americans scramble for scarce doses of flu vaccine in hopes of warding off the respiratory bug this winter, the wily influenza virus may have other plans. Through a natural process known as antigenic drift, a new strain of influenza that can diminish the effectiveness of today's vaccine is already emerging on the far side of the world...... http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl.../10/24/FLU.TMP

10-26-2004, 03:18 PM	#2
nikegurl Registered User Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: LA, CA Posts: 5,641	i think this is pretty much the case every year....the vaccine is based on the prior year's strain of the virus so it's common for it to not be completely effective against flu "upgrades" (new strains) If you want to achieve things that others can't... You have to do things that others won't.

10-26-2004, 04:46 PM	#4
Randy Woof! Woof! Woof! Elite Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: California Posts: 7,859 Photos: 4	This will always be a possibility, but if the vaccine can eliminate the one major strain that it was created for then hopefully it can still save a lot of lives. There may be other strains that the vaccine will not ward off, but if it can eliminate, or tame any of the bad ones it can still be a major benefit in saving lives. Nobody has the power of eliminating them all. - O F F I C I A L . L I N K . M A S T E R - Maintains a Reference to all Gopros P/RR/S Links Gopros latest routines: CLICK HERE Lift like a Chicken Look Like a Chicken

10-26-2004, 05:21 PM	#5
nikegurl Registered User Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: LA, CA Posts: 5,641	agreed If you want to achieve things that others can't... You have to do things that others won't.

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10-26-2004, 04:00 PM	#3
tomas101 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 602	the flu shot had the same problem last yr also... edit: what nikegurl said

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