The flu season is not over but may be starting to wind down. Health officials report this year’s flu vaccine was not as effective as hoped. Health officials say even with this year’s disappointing results there is still value in the vaccine.
The Centers for Disease Control reported last month this year’s flu vaccine reduced a person’s risk of having to seek medical care for the flu by 19 percent.
Medical forecasters try to anticipate what strain will be the virus of the year. This flu season the H3N2 virus strain was not expected.
Dr. Carla Christ with the Arizona Department of Health Services says that strain will most likely be added to next year’s vaccine. Nevertheless she says this year’s vaccine could offer protection in the future.
"H1N1 from the 2009 pandemic has been in vaccine for past several years so you have been exposed, so if you have gotten the flu virus, if you didn’t get that vaccine in a couple of years and you are exposed you should have some immunity," Christ said.
According to the CDC, vaccines in the 2011-2012 flu season were more than 70 percent effective in reducing hospital admissions for adults.