Data released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests that this year's flu shot reduces the chance of being hospitalized with the flu by 35% among high-risk groups.
New data released by CDC on October 3rd Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), drawn from five South American countries.
southern hemisphere influenza The season typically runs from April to September, but the Northern Hemisphere season runs from approximately October to May. Because of this alternating timing, the Northern Hemisphere can refer to data from the Southern Hemisphere to see which strains of influenza viruses are circulating, plan for next season's flu vaccinations, and determine how well those vaccines are doing. We are determining whether it is effective.
In the new MMWR, researchers investigated the effectiveness of influenza vaccination in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay. The report focuses on: People at high risk of severe influenza infectionyoung children, the elderly, and people with medical conditions such as chronic lung disease, liver damage, heart disease, and immune system problems.
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From mid-March to mid-July, these five countries reported more than 11,700 people in these groups hospitalized with severe respiratory illness. Of these, approximately 3,850 people tested positive for influenza, with the majority testing positive for influenza A viruses. (Influenza A and influenza B are two large groups of seasonal influenza viruses, and two subtypes of influenza A were predominant in this study, H3N2 and then H1N1.)
The remaining approximately 7,850 people in the study tested negative for both influenza and influenza. COVID-19 (new coronavirus infection)served as a comparison point for the analysis. About 23% of these patients had received an influenza vaccination, while only 18% were hospitalized with the virus.
After crunching the numbers, researchers found that the vaccine may have reduced the risk of influenza hospitalization by 34.5%. Looking more closely, the shot lowered the risk of hospitalization by nearly 59% in sick adults, 39% in young children, and 31% in older adults.
“Only one in five people [severe acute respiratory infection] “Patients were vaccinated with the 2024 influenza vaccine, and vaccinated patients had a significantly lower risk of hospitalization due to influenza virus infection,” the study authors concluded, and these data It suggests that influenza vaccination was “effective in preventing approximately one-third of influenza-associated hospitalizations.” Among groups prioritized for vaccination. ”
Trends in the southern hemisphere's influenza season do not always accurately predict what will happen in the northern hemisphere. But assuming the same influenza virus strains circulate in the coming months, “health officials may expect a similar level of protection from the 2024-25 vaccine,” the authors write.
With some exceptions, the CDC recommends the following: Everyone over 6 months old Get your annual influenza vaccine. Additional measures, such as regular hand washing, can help reduce the spread of influenza. For those who have contracted influenza, receive antiviral treatment such as Tamifludone as soon as possible can greatly reduce the risk of influenza-related complications.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not provide medical advice.
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