NEW YORK — The flu vaccine might not be very effective this winter, according to U.S. health officials who worry this might lead to more serious illnesses and deaths.
Flu season has begun to ramp up, and officials say the vaccine does not protect well against the dominant strain seen most commonly this year. That strain tends to cause more deaths and hospitalizations, especially among the elderly.
“Though we cannot predict what will happen the rest of this flu season, it’s possible we may have a season that’s more severe than most,” Dr. Tom Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said Thursday.
CDC officials said doctors should be on the lookout for patients who might be at higher risk for flu complications, including children younger than 2, adults 65 and older and people with asthma, heart disease, weakened immune systems or certain other chronic conditions.
