Acting Medical Officer of Health for Hastings Prince Edward Public Health Dr. Ian Gemmell (File photo: Mary Thomas/Quinte News)
Public health officials agree the present influenza vaccine is far from 100% effective, but there may be some good news in the pipeline.
Prince Edward Hastings Acting Medical Officer of Health Dr. Ian Gemmell says the present vaccine is effective but not for all strains of the flu.
In a media interview Wednesday, Gemmell said the problem is that the strain of vaccine is determined months before the influenza season begins.
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He says heath officials have been seeking a four-strain type of vaccine that lasts for five years.
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Gemmell emphasizes that although the recent vaccine is only 20% effective, and people may think it’s not any good, in his words “it is good.”
