Flu vaccine was ineffective for people 65 and older last winter

Like that season, last winter was dominated by a kind of flu strain – Type A H3N2 – that tends to cause more deaths and serious illnesses than other seasonal flu viruses.

The CDC calculates vaccine effectiveness from a sample of flu tests done on patients in five states.

Vaccines against some other infectious diseases are not considered successful unless they are at least 90 percent effective. But flu is particularly challenging.

Over the last ten winters, overall flu vaccine effectiveness has averaged about 46 percent.

Last winter’s vaccine did well in protecting young children, about 60 percent effective.

And it did OK in older children and in adults ages 50 to 64. But it had no clear effect in adults 18 to 49, or among the oldest adults.

Results were presented at a meeting in Atlanta of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, which provides vaccine advice to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

CDC officials said the numbers are preliminary. Investigators are trying to figure out whether past flu vaccinations made a difference in how well the most recent flu shot worked, and whether there’s a way to check more people to see how quickly the vaccine’s protection is lasting.

Experts also are looking at whether certain brands of vaccine offer more protection than others. About 40 percent of older Americans get a higher-dose flu vaccine that is supposed to work better.

Flu shots are recommended for virtually all Americans age 6 months or older.

Among infectious diseases, flu is considered one of the U.S.’s leading killers. CDC estimates there are tens of thousands of deaths each year from flu and pneumonia.