Flu Vaccine Has Been Feeble For Elderly This Season

Rob Stein — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 21:54:00 +0000

This year's flu vaccine appears to be doing a unusually poor job of protecting the elderly, federal health officials reported Thursday.

Overall, this year's flu vaccine appears to be only about 27 percent effective for people ages 65 and older, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports in this week's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

But, perhaps more important and more concerning, it looks like it's only about 9 percent effective in protecting people 65 and older against the

A Worm's Ovary Cells Become A Flu Vaccine Machine

Richard Knox — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 20:51:00 +0000

As the flu season grinds on from news cycle to news cycle, there's some flu news of a different sort.

Colleges Try To Curtail Flu Risk For Students

Tovia Smith — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 22:47:00 +0000

As college students return to class from winter break this week, campuses around the nation are bracing for the possibility of a flu outbreak.

Colleges in Boston are especially worried after the mayor's declaration last week of a public health emergency in the city. The city's student population is large — around 150,000.

Can You Get A Flu Shot And Still Get The Flu?

Rob Stein — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 08:49:00 +0000

This year's flu season started about a month early, prompting federal health officials to warn it could be one of the worst in years. They're urging everyone to get their flu shots.

But like every flu season, there are lots of reports of people complaining that they got their shot but still got the flu.

Unusually Early Flu Season Intensifies

Rob Stein — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 21:07:00 +0000

This year's unusually early flu season is continuing to intensify, federal health officials say.

The number of states now reporting widespread flu activity doubled to eight in the past week, according to the latest update from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's.

Last week Alaska, Mississippi, New York and South Carolina were reporting widespread flu.