In unrelentingly bad flu seasons such as the current one, which is dominated by the most dreaded flu strain, vaccines are less effective. Even in a good year, the flu vaccine is never as effective as most other vaccines. Marshfield is one of five U.S. sites measuring flu vaccine effectiveness. Most U.S. flu vaccines are grown in chicken eggs, a process that takes six to eight months. Ultimately, scientists say the only real solution is a “universal” influenza vaccine that would not only protect against seasonal flu but also guard against a future pandemic.

Source: Washington Post February 15, 2018 18:10 UTC