The upcoming flu season may be a harsh one in the U.S. judging from data in the southern hemisphere, where the flu season is waning. The New England Journal of Medicine has reported that the flu vaccine used this year in Australia, which has the same composition as the vaccine used in the U.S., had a low rate of effectiveness. But State Epidemiologist Jonathan Ballard said the current vaccine is working well in Kentucky. Even if that weren’t the case, Dr. Ballard said some protection is better than none.
"Cases we've seen of people who developed influenza in previous years who were vaccinated were much milder cases, " he said.
Dr. Ballard encourages Kentuckians to get vaccinated as soon as possible since it takes two weeks for the vaccine to become effective. Vaccinations are recommended for everyone over six months old. Senior citizens and those with chronic illness should also be sure to get a flu shot.
