Annual flu vaccines are in a constant race against a rapidly mutating virus that may one day cause the next pandemic. A one-time vaccine protecting against all variants could give humanity a leg up.
Marios Koutsakos, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity
Scientists around the world are trying to come up with universal coronavirus vaccines to combat the emergence of variants. But what are these vaccines and are they even possible?
Wouldn’t it be nice if one shot could protect you for life?
Bryan R. Smith/AFP via Getty Images
You need a new shot every year because current flu vaccines provide limited and temporary protection. But researchers’ new strategy could mean a one-and-done influenza vaccine is on the way.
A nurse in Atlanta prepared the flu vaccine for a shot on Feb. 7, 2019.
David Goldman/AP Photo
The 2018-2019 flu season was less deadly than the last. But the pattern of infection was unusual, thanks to the various strains circulating and the way flu shots work over time.
One-year-old Kilian Doherty being prepared for a chest X-ray Feb. 9, 2018 to determine if he had flu.
David Goldman/AP Photo
Regular hand washing is important not only to keep from getting the flu but also to prevent passing it to others, such as young children and seniors, who may be even more vulnerable. Here’s how.
An Atlanta hospital set up a mobile ER to deal with the large number of flu cases.
AP Photo/David Goldman
The 1918 flu pandemic has long puzzled those who study disease outbreaks. Why was it so severe? While that question is hard to answer, one thing is certain: Vaccines would have lessened the toll.
Could the yearly flu shot become a thing of the past?
AP Photo/Darron Cummings, File
Flu virus mutates so quickly that one year’s vaccine won’t work on the next year’s common strains. But rational design – a new way to create vaccines – might pave the way for more lasting solutions.
Why so-called ‘Aussie flu’ probably isn’t from Australia and other things you need to know about the latest influenza outbreak.
Every year in Canada, there is an average of 23,000 cases of lab-confirmed influenza, 12,000 people who need to be admitted to hospital and 3,500 flu deaths.
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As influenza season begins in North America, many people wonder whether to get a flu shot. Our expert delves into the pros and cons of the vaccine and how it works.
Computers may play an important role in preparing us for the next viral outbreak – whether flu or Ebola.
UW Institute for Protein Design
This antivirus software protects health, not computers. Researchers are beginning to combat deadly infections using computer-generated antiviral proteins – a valuable tool to fight a future pandemic.
What if it wasn’t back to the drawing board every year for a new flu shot?
Andrew Kelly/Reuters
Flu virus mutates so quickly that one year’s vaccine won’t work on the next year’s common strains. But a new way to create vaccines, called ‘rational design,’ might pave the way for more lasting solutions.
Facts about Flu - What if you needed just one flu shot to protect you from pandemic as well as the yearly seasonal flu viruses in circulation? Imagine you could only identify people by their jackets. Once…