SAN ANTONIO \u2013 Getting a flu shot every year has long been the standard \u2014 but researchers in San Antonio are working to change that.<\/p>\n
At Texas Biomedical Research Institute, scientists are developing a new type of flu vaccine that could provide protection for several years instead of just one season.<\/p>\n
Right now, health experts say the reason for yearly flu shots comes down to how quickly the virus evolves.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause the flu virus is constantly changing, then you need to get a flu vaccine every single year,\u201d said Dr. Lee-Ann Allen, executive vice president of research at Texas Biomedical Research Institute.<\/p>\n
Each year, global health organizations try to predict which strains of the virus will be most common \u2014 but it\u2019s not an exact science.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a highly educated guess and that\u2019s why it\u2019s not perfect,\u201d Allen said. \u201cThe WHO (World Health Organization) \u2026 are making an educated guess in the winter about what they are going to need next fall.\u201d<\/p>\n
Researchers say the new approach focuses on identifying parts of the virus that don\u2019t change as much, allowing for longer-lasting protection.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe new vaccine would be setting up a situation where you could first identify components of the flu virus that didn\u2019t change so much,\u201d Allen explained.<\/p>\n
The goal is to create a vaccine that targets those stable elements \u2014 essentially a \u201ccommon denominator\u201d in how the immune system responds.<\/p>\n
If successful, scientists say it could mean people only need a flu shot every few years instead of annually.<\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe people would only need to get a flu vaccine, say, every five years instead of every single year,\u201d Allen said.<\/p>\n
The research is still in progress, but scientists say they are moving toward the next phase.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think we\u2019re getting closer to having certainly animal trials and then ideally, clinical trials,\u201d Allen said.<\/p>\n
While a yearly flu shot is still recommended for now, researchers say this work could eventually change how often people need protection \u2014 and how the flu is prevented in the future.<\/p>\n
Read also:<\/p>\n
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