Influenza vaccine for 2010

13 November 2009

It has been agreed by Australia’s regulatory bodies that the Southern Hemisphere influenza vaccine for 2010 will contain the following strains.  

— an A/California/7/2009 (H1N1)-like virus;
— an A/Perth/16/2009 (H3N2)-like virus;
— a B/Brisbane/60/2008-like virus.

The A/California is the new pandemic swine flu virus, (same as in panvax), so this is part of next years seasonal vaccine, and those who have had panvax will be getting a booster.

The A/Perth strain is not currently in any vaccine. The B/Brisbane is the same strain as in the 2009 Northern hemisphere vaccine (but new to the Southern hemisphere).

This means a single seasonal vaccination will be available, and those who have had the pandemic vaccine will get a welcome booster effect. Please note that it does not mean that those who have had pandemic vaccine cannot have next years vaccine, the opposite is true, it is important to get next seasons vaccine to boost immunity and be protected against the other strains.

It also does not mean that people should not get the pandemic vaccine now, rather it presents a great opportunity for better immunity to be achieved, and by using pandemic vaccine widely now, we can reduce any chance of transmission within our community, which improves the situation next year as well.

More information is available at:

http://www.who.int/csr/disease/influenza/recommendations2010south/en/index.html

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