2015-16 Flu Vaccine Is Nearly 60 Percent Effective

As of the end of February, preliminary overall 2015-16 influenza vaccine effectiveness (VE) was 59 percent, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which is comparable to past estimates for seasons when most circulating flu viruses and vaccine viruses have been similar. More specifically, based on data collected from the U.S. Flu VE Network from Nov. 2 through Feb. 12, this season’s vaccine is 51 percent effective against the H1N1 viruses responsible for most flu illness this season, 76 percent effective against all influenza B viruses and 79 percent effective against the B/Yamagata lineage of B viruses. However, there is not enough data to estimate VE by age group or against H3N2 or B/Victoria lineage viruses. “This means that getting a flu vaccine this season reduced the risk of having to go to the doctor because of flu by nearly 60 percent,” said Joseph Bresee, MD, chief of CDC’s Epidemiology and Prevention Branch. “It’s good news and underscores the importance and the benefit of both annual and ongoing vaccination efforts this season.”