Best General Physician In Guntur

🌍 WHO Global Influenza Surveillance & Response System (GISRS)

The **WHO Global Influenza Surveillance & Response System (GISRS)** consists of **151 national influenza centers** across **129 countries** worldwide.

These centers share **surveillance findings, risk assessment, and corrective measures**, including **updates on seasonal flu vaccines**.

💉 Why Do Influenza Vaccines Need Regular Updates?

Unlike many other vaccines, **influenza vaccines must be evaluated regularly** because **influenza viruses evolve continuously**.

**WHO updates vaccine recommendations annually** to ensure **timely availability before the flu season**.

Since **it takes 6-8 months** for production, approval, and distribution, WHO issues recommendations:

**February** for the **Northern Hemisphere**.
**September** for the **Southern Hemisphere**.

🦠 2024 Flu Season Vaccine Recommendation

For our region, the **trivalent flu vaccine** is recommended for the **2024 flu season** (monsoon/winter, starting from July).

**Targeted Influenza Subtypes:**

**Influenza A (H1N1)**
**Influenza A (H3N2)**
**Influenza B (Victoria lineage)**

**Quadrivalent flu vaccines** are no longer necessary as **Influenza B (Yamagata lineage) is unlikely to be circulating** in the population.

⚠️ Why Get a Flu Vaccine Every Year?

**Flu vaccines are not 100% effective, but they significantly reduce disease severity**, especially in:

**Elderly individuals (above 65 years old)**.
**People with comorbidities (diabetes, heart disease, respiratory conditions, etc.)**.
**Healthcare workers and high-risk groups**.

**Effectiveness varies between 50-70%** due to regular **antigenic drift** (gradual genetic changes in the virus).

In rare cases, **antigenic shift** (sudden, major genetic change) can result in a **pandemic**, like the **2009 H1N1 pandemic**.

📢 Key Takeaways

💉 **Flu vaccines should be taken annually** to ensure protection.
🕒 **Timely vaccination** before the flu season is crucial.
👴 **Elderly & high-risk individuals should prioritize flu shots.**

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