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Flu vaccines didn't work that well in the US, officials find
This season's flu vaccine was 25%–30% effective for adults and 40% for children due to a poorly matched A(H3N2) subclade K strain, CDC data shows.
This season's flu vaccines were around 25% to 30% effective in preventing adults from getting sick enough to seek medical treatment, while children who were vaccinated were about 40% less likely to need treatment.
The new flu strain belonged to a category called A H3N2, with a version that seemed to spread more easily, likely contributing to the vaccine's lower effectiveness as it was built for a different H3N2 version.
Despite lower effectiveness, the CDC estimates the flu caused at least 27 million illnesses, 350,000 hospitalizations, and 22,000 deaths this season, with 101 child deaths, and health officials still recommend getting vaccinated to prevent severe illness and death.