Flu Shot Effectiveness!

This year’s flu shot is working relatively well to prevent influenza, particularly among children.

Despite a weird flu season, this year’s flu shot is working relatively well to prevent influenza, particularly among children, according to a new report.

In the new report, researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated the flu shot’s effectiveness in more than 4,000 U.S. children and adults who visited the doctor for respiratory illness between Oct. 23, 2019, and Jan. 25, 2020.

Overall, the vaccine was 45% effective, meaning it reduced the risk of a doctor’s visit for flu by 45%, the report found. The vaccine worked even better in children, reducing their risk of a doctor’s visit for flu by 55%.

Flu shots are generally 40 to 60% effective when the flu strains circulating match the strains in the vaccine, and this year’s estimates fall within that range, the authors said.

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