Jewel has their “get your flu shot here!” signs out now, I have noticed, so I suppose flu season is approaching yet again. Because I compulsively research everything, I took a look at the WHO’s recommendations for the composition of flu shots in the Northern Hemisphere. For the 2011-2012 season, they recommend: [PDF]
These two lists look identical. My question, for all you people who are not my doctor, or probably even a doctor, and consequently are not offering medical advice, is: Would this year’s flu shot confer any significant immunity to someone who had one last year? If so, why?
I don’t have an answer for you, but I’d like to say that you’re not the only one who wondered this. I’ve wondered about this since getting the H1N1 vaccine the first year it was out. It seemed as though they wanted you to get the same vaccine the next year too. Does one’s immunity to the flu via vaccine wear off after a year?
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And does anyone know why so many websites say you shouldn’t get a flu vaccine the same year you are treated for lyme disease? I can’t find a straight answer about if I should get one this year or not.
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My WAG is that it could act as a booster … I suppose it’s possible that those strains have mutated slightly to be some sort of sub-strain different enough to need a new vaccine but not enough to get a new name.