The Flu Vaccine is On its Way





No, summer is not over yet. But preparations for the next flu season, which typically begins in October, have already started.


The FDA said today that it has approved the formulation for the 2011-12 vaccine. The new vaccine looks a lot like it did last year - it will protect against the type of influenza A virus that caused the H1N1/swine flu pandemic, another type of influenza A and a type of influenza B virus. But you can't skip the shot even if you had it last year, since the immunity it confers isn't particularly long-lived.


The CDC has recommended since last year that everyone six months and older be vaccinated.


Six manufacturers are licensed to produce and distribute vaccines in the U.S. this year, the FDA says. Different brands and types of vaccines are approved for different age groups.
source: http://www.blogs.wsj.com/