What should you know about the 2010-2011 seasonal flu vaccine? The seasonal influenza vaccine contains 2 Influenza A virus subtypes and 1 influenza B virus strain. The U.S. 2010-2011 seasonal influenza vaccine will protect against an H3N2 virus (an A virus subtype that dominates in prevalence over H1N1 virus and influenza B), Influenza B virus, and the second A subtype, will be the 2009 H1N1 virus ("swine flu"), which emerged last year to cause the first global pandemic in more than 40 years and resulted in substantial illness, hospitalizations and deaths.
The CDC is recommending that everyone 6 months and older get the vaccine as soon as it is available at physicians' offices or other facilities. The timing of the flu is very unpredictable and can vary from season to season. Flu activity most commonly peaks in the U.S. in January or February and can occur as late as May. Get protected! (Centers for disease control & prevention).
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