End of the flu as we know it?
Could save tens of thousands of lives in US alone, prevent annual need for flu shots.
Every year, high risk groups like children and the elderly get flu shots in order to avoid the debilitating and dangerous effects of influenza, which can put people out for days or weeks at a time, and in some cases kill them. A universal flu shot, which would protect against all strains of the flu for a period of years, has the potential to stop the flu virus in its tracks. This is because current vaccines only protect against the most likely flu strains, and for that year only, but a univeral vaccine could protect against all strains indefinitely, or may need to only be renewed every few years. If enough people are vaccinated, this means that the virus would have a harder time traveling through populations. On the whole, a universal flu vaccine would mean fewer sick days for just about everyone, and less downtime for parents who may need to keep children out of school and stay home themselves instead of going to work. While a universal flu vaccine may sound like an employer's dream, it also means that everyone gets to be healthier, and lose less time to the immediate effects of the flu or the time taken to care for relatives who may have gotten sick.
Should you get a flu shot if you are not in a high risk group? If you have any relatives, or come into contact with people, who have weakened immunity then getting the flu shot could keep you from being a spreader of a dangerous illness that kills tens of thosands of people each year. When you hear about the old people and children who die of the flu each year, do you think of how they got it? Some vaccine-hating relative may very well have spread the flu to them, and caused them to die after several days of misery. How would you feel about yourself if you spread a fatal illness to a relative, friend, or even a complete stranger?
Notes and Special Information
Special note: Universal flu shots are being tested right now so it may take some time before they are available to the general public. As with any medical program, it is important to note that some strain of flu could get through, but the livesaving potential of this vaccine cannot be underestimated.