New Flu Shot Prevents Against Four Strains

“This fall, Antelope Memorial Hospital and its clinics are providing a new influenza vaccine that provides protection against four strains of influenza – instead of three,” said Karen Gallagher, Registered Pharmacist at AMH. “The vaccine is called QUADravalent. It was developed to provide protection against both of the B strains — not just one or the other.”
Each year, the choice of strains included in the influenza vaccine is made by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Center of Disease Control (CDC). In six of the last 10 years, the influenza vaccine did not protect against the B strain that seemed to be causing the most disease at the time. The vaccine protected against two strains of A virus and one strain of B virus. The quadravalent influenza vaccine will protect against an additional B strain (two strains of both the A and B viruses). However, the most important point is just to get vaccinated each year.

For the complete story, see the print edition of The Elgin Review.