A better flu vaccine? It’s coming, experts say

Ever-shifting strains make it a moving target

When you get a flu shot in as soon as five years, your doctor might be offering a version that would pack years-long protection against the viral infection that sickens thousands every winter.

Several prospects for the dreamedof big weapon against flu are showing promise in federal clinical trials, said Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in Washington.

Demand for a universal vaccine escalated this year as the nation struggled through the worst flu season in 10 years.

“I’ve made a universal influenza vaccine one of my top priorities,” Fauci told the Cincinnati Enquirer last week.

“It’s going to be an iterative process with a gradually improving version of the vaccine,” Fauci said. “It will be a long time before we have a vaccine that covers every single potential strain of flu.

“But before we get there, we’ll have universal influenza vaccine 1.0 that will cover some major strains, and we’ll get that in five years or so,” he said. “Then a few years later, we’ll have universal influenza vaccine 2.0.”

Dr. Carl Fichtenbaum, a University of Cincinnati Health infectious-disease specialist, said he doesn’t want the distant possibility of a universal vaccine to dissuade people from getting the yearly shot.

“It’s what we need, but it is probably a while away yet,” he said.

Influenza is a wily creature with dozens of varieties. The strains take turns predominating every season.

This year, a fierce version called H3N2 took hold.

In late winter every year, federal authorities make an educated guess about the flu strain that will circulate the following season. Based on that guess, drug makers manufacture seasonal vaccines.

Sometimes, the researchers guess right, and the vaccine’s effectiveness approaches 65%. However, this year’s seasonal vaccine delivered only 35% effectiveness against all strains.

But even with low effectiveness, the flu shot can cut your risk of getting flu and reduce the severity if you get sick.

“It will be a long time before we have a vaccine that covers every single potential strain of flu.”

Dr. Anthony Fauci

Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases