Researchers Find Potential Flu Vaccine

Finding the cure for the flu has always been a big deal in the medical industry; due to a variety of different reasons and mutations it has been considered nearly impossible but today things might have changed. Researchers from multiple medical facilities report that they may have found a single anti-body shared by all flu strands that could be used as a universal vaccine.

According to the initial reports the flu anti-body would likely be able to treat or prevent as many as 40 different strains of the flu which would be great news for everyone worldwide. Developing a vaccine based on the anti-body is also expected to be a fairly simple medical project so within the new few years experts believe it might be possible to vaccinate everyone against the flu virus.

Areas this would affect most include poor areas and 3rd world countries and according to many analysts it could save hundreds of thousands of lives. Obviously it is still too soon to say for sure if an actual flu vaccine will be developed or successful but the results from this most recent research are definitely promising in many regards. More testing and vaccine development is expected to begin sometime in the very near future and experts hope that this incredibly opportunity could reach the general public within a few short years. Until then flu shots will remain common but after that the hope is that a single vaccine may cure the world.

Flu Vaccine Might Not be Needed This Year

Each year a new flu vaccine is developed using a complicated system of tests which are used to determine exactly which strain of the common flu is likely to spread through the population. The flu strain often changes quite drastically each year but this year medical analysts are saying that the strain might not be changing hardly at all.

This month the companies responsible for developing and making the flu vaccines announced that the studies being conducted show that the flu strain is nearly identical to last year’s strain. What this means for millions of people is that a flu vaccine this year simply won’t be necessary because the immune resistivity will be carried over from the previous flu shot.

Of course government health agencies are still encouraging all people at risk for the flu to prepare for a flu shot as flu season approaches. Fortunately the vaccine companies have also announced that they will be producing a record number of flu vaccine doses; as many as 173 million doses are expected to be prepared for distribution as flu season approaches which means a record number of people will be able to receive the vaccine if desired.

Despite what government health agencies are saying doctors are encouraging only those highly at risk to receive the flu shot. Because of the fact that last year’s flu shot will still be nearly 100% effective doctors say there is no need to waste time, money, or resources to re vaccinate those who are already protected.