It Works. Here's Why.So you got the flu vaccine, but still got the flu. What's up with that? There are actually many different strains of the virus, so mutated strains become resistant to the vaccine. It's difficult for scientists to guess which strain will be the most prevalent in a given season, so they have to make an educated guess. Some years the vaccine matches the common circulating strains quite well, some years not so much. So if it isn't a guarantee that it'll protect you from the flu, why bother to get the vaccine? It is proven that even if you do contract the virus, the vaccine decreases the severity of the illness. It decreases the risk of flu related hospitalization, and is especially critical for people with chronic illnesses. It might not be an exact match to the strain, but it's still protecting you. With the vaccine, your body is able to produce antibodies that protect you from different but related strains of the virus. According to CDC surveillance data, during the 2012-2013 flu season, 12,337 people were hospitalized with flu related illnesses and 149 children died (CNN). Ninety percent of those children were not vaccinated. Your safest bet is to opt for the vaccine. Due to vaccination, outbreaks of the flu virus have decreased dramatically.
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http://www.cnn.com/2014/12/04/health/flu-vaccine-mutated-virus/
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/keyfacts.htm