COVID Pandemic May Have Driven a Flu Strain Into Extinction

He famous that B/Yamagata tends to surge in sure years after which nearly disappear in others.

“Just the proof we have not seen it for some time, I do not assume that by itself is a convincing argument,” Kennedy mentioned. “Data suggesting that since we have not seen a single case since March 2020, that is good, however I’d wish to see an extended interval the place we do not see any of it, as a result of it is hidden from us earlier than, these lineages.”

Now, COVID restrictions have relaxed and youngsters are again at school, elevating issues amongst public well being officers that this flu season might be a troublesome one. B/Yamagata may resurface, he mentioned.

“These viruses are superb at making up for misplaced time and misplaced distance on this race,” Kennedy mentioned. “We may get forward, but when we do not proceed, we won’t get a deal with on it.”

If B/Yamagata is really gone for good, meaning we may juggle the strains included within the annual flu vaccine to get extra bang for our buck, mentioned Dr. William Schaffner, medical director of the Bethesda, Md.-based National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.

The construction of the present flu vaccine consists of 4 strains: influenza A/H3N2 (Hong Kong), influenza A/H1N1 (Swine), influenza B/Victoria, and influenza B/Yamagata. The influenza A strains are typically extra infectious and the supply of lethal epidemics, whereas influenza B percolates extra slowly amongst school-age kids and youths.

Each 12 months U.S. scientists play a guessing recreation to find out which genetic model of every of the 4 strains is prone to be probably the most infectious, Kennedy mentioned. When they guess proper, the flu vaccine supplies higher safety.

Replacing the B/Yamagata a part of the vaccine with one other pressure that is extra infectious and harmful may enhance the shot’s effectiveness, Schaffner mentioned.

“Could you double up on the following most extreme pressure, H3N2? Could you get two H3N2s in there?” Schaffner mentioned.

Kennedy agreed. “Being in a position to choose one other pressure that is not B, that is an A pressure, would in all probability assist with that guessing recreation,” he mentioned.