Flu Shot Doing Poor Job of Protecting Older People This Year

New submitter Gunilla sends this news from an AP report: "It turns out this year's flu shot is doing a startlingly dismal job of protecting older people, the most vulnerable age group. The vaccine is proving only 9 percent effective in those 65 and older against the harsh strain of the flu that is predominant this season, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday. Health officials are baffled as to why this is so. But the findings help explain why so many older people have been hospitalized with the flu this year. Despite the findings, the CDC stood by its recommendation that everyone over 6 months get flu shots, the elderly included, because some protection is better than none, and because those who are vaccinated and still get sick may suffer less severe symptoms." An anonymous reader adds information about a new drug that treats influenza by hijacking its own infection mechanism. The compound "binds to an enzyme on the surface of the flu virus called neuraminidase. This enzyme is responsible for severing the connection between the flu virus and human cell so it can move on and infect other cells. The new class of drugs — DFSAs — permanently bind to the enzyme, blocking its action and stopping it from spreading further, the journal Science reported (abstract). Currently available antivirals also work by attaching to this enzyme. But DFSAs do so in such a way that the flu virus cannot evolve to be resistant to the drug without rendering itself useless."

Comments

Re:Makes Sense.

[firex726]

Vitamin C and vitamins in general are not some magic bullet against common illness.

http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/vitamins_common_misconceptions?open
http://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatmentsandsideeffects/complementaryandalternativemedicine/dietarysupplements/dietary-supplements-misconceptions
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2007/jul/18/medicineandhealth.sciencenews

Best research we got suggests if you take something like 1000mg a day at the start of a cold you can ease the effects, but you'll also develop nausea, headaches, and kidney stones.

So what's worse? runny nose of a kidney stone?

Re:Quit promoting it when it doesn't work

[hairyfeet]

I agree they should tell the truth and the WHOLE truth but the simple fact is the ones who got the flu that had the shot (myself included) frankly didn't get all that sick, yes some folks ended up in the hospital but those were the ones that were already weak as hell to begin with, whereas those I saw who got the flu WITHOUT the shot ended up puking like a buzzard and had a hell of a time getting over it.

So I gotta agree both with the AC and the CDC, they need to tell folks that the shot alone isn't a magic bullet but at the same time having some immunity is better than none, especially if you aren't weak to begin with and will be able to fight it off. lets face it folks, somebody that is already immuno-compromised isn't gonna build up much in the way of antibodies even if you gave them a flu shot every week and there are a LOT of older folks out there that take meds that weaken the immune system, either on purpose as with the arthritis drugs or as a side effect so that too needs to be taken into account.

But I can tell you that I was sure as hell glad I got my flu shot when the worst I got was a fever of 101 and slightly sick at the stomach while those around me were at death's door for a good week and a half, mine only lasted 3 days and all I needed was a Z-Pac for the sinus infection I ended up with (which I get sinus infections at the drop of a hat so that was expected) and I was right as rain in less than 7 days, those around me that didn't have the shot were sick for a couple of weeks and felt weak for a good week or two after that.