The Flu Vaccine May Not Protect Your Kids Against This Year's Flu Strain

So remember the flu shot you oh-so-carefully scheduled for your child before flu season ever began? The one that was supposed to ensure that she would be well-guarded against the virus this season? Well, it turns out that vaccine might not be that effective this year. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reporting that the strain this year's vaccine was created to protect against mutated after the shots were made, so they are only partially protective against the predominant flu virus (known as influenza A, H3N2). And given that it is already December, it is too late to make a new vaccine for the current flu season (it takes about six months to create the vaccine).

Flu season usually hits its peak in January and February, so researchers are nervous that it could become a bad flu season as we enter the worst of it.

The good news is that patients who used the nasal spray, also known as FluMist, may be better protected against H3N2. The spray uses a live virus that may work better than the traditional shot.