The upcoming flu season is already on the minds of global health authorities, with the World Health Organization (WHO) recently announcing the strains they recommend vaccine makers target in order to combat influenza viruses in the coming year. The WHO has advised countries in the Northern Hemisphere to prepare for fighting influenza viruses falling under the subtypes H1N1 and H3N2, as well as the lineage B/Victoria in the next flu season.
The current flu season in the U.S. has been particularly severe, with at least 25 million illnesses and 20,000 deaths reported, including 79 children. The WHO’s vaccine recommendations for the upcoming flu season are similar to last year’s, with a focus on combating the H1N1, H3N2, and B/Victoria strains. This season has seen high hospitalization rates, partly due to the emergence of a new variant known as “subclade K,” which has shown the ability to evade some of the current flu vaccine’s protective effects.
In addition to the recommended strains, the WHO has also highlighted the importance of preparing for zoonotic influenza, such as bird flu, which has infected at least 25 people across six countries since last September. While human-to-human transmission of these viruses has not been observed, it is crucial to be prepared with vaccines.
Looking towards the future, there is speculation about next-generation flu vaccines, such as an mRNA flu vaccine similar to the ones used for COVID-19. This type of vaccine could be manufactured faster than traditional shots, potentially addressing new variants like subclade K. Efforts are also underway to develop a universal flu vaccine that could provide broad protection against multiple flu strains.
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