Main Influenza Strain Has Mutated, Current Vaccines May Not Prevent Infection: Researchers

Main Influenza Strain Has Mutated, Current Vaccines May Not Prevent Infection: Researchers
A nurse prepares a vaccine against the flu in a file photo. Valery Hache/AFP/Getty Images
Jack Phillips
By Jack Phillips, Breaking News Reporter
Updated:

Several researchers said that the main circulating influenza strain in the United States has mutated, noting that vaccines may not prevent infection.

According to a pre-print study (pdf) led by Scott Hensley, a professor of microbiology at the University of Pennsylvania, flu shots do not protect against a mutated variant of the H3N2 influenza virus, or the most common one, as vaccines do not match the strain well anymore.
Jack Phillips
Jack Phillips
Breaking News Reporter
Jack Phillips is a breaking news reporter who covers a range of topics, including politics, U.S., and health news. A father of two, Jack grew up in California's Central Valley. Follow him on X: https://twitter.com/jackphillips5
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