
Flu vaccines didn't work that well in the US, officials find
ABC News
As the U.S. flu season winds down, health officials say the flu vaccine didn’t work very well
NEW YORK -- As the U.S. flu season winds down, health officials say the flu vaccine didn't work very well, with one of its worst effectiveness rates in more than a decade.
A new strain that dominated the early winter was not well matched to the vaccine, leading to an intense early onslaught of flu.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday posted data that showed a continued decline in doctor's office and hospital visits for flu symptoms through last week. The number of states reporting high flu activity dropped to 16, many of them in a belt stretching from Colorado to Virginia.
“The winter respiratory virus season is slowly coming to a close, and we’re all very grateful for that,” said Dr. William Schaffner, a Vanderbilt University vaccine expert.
This season's vaccines were around 25% to 30% effective in preventing adults from getting sick enough from the flu that they had to go to a doctor’s office, clinic or hospital, according to a CDC report this week. Children who were vaccinated were about 40% less likely to get treatment at a doctor’s office or hospital.













