The WHO (World Health Organisation) recently released its recommendations for the 2019 flu vaccine:
- an A/Michigan/45/2015 (H1N1) pdm09-like virus;
- an A/Switzerland/8060/2017 (H3N2)-like virus;
- a B/Colorado/06/2017-like virus (B/Victoria/2/87 lineage); and
- a B/Phuket/3073/2013-like virus (B/Yamagata/16/88 lineage).
This represents 2 strain changes from this years (2018) flu vaccine.
WHO convenes in February and September each year to recommend viruses
for inclusion in influenza vaccines for the northern and southern hemisphere influenza seasons,
respectively. This recommendation relates to the influenza vaccines for use in the southern
hemisphere 2019 influenza season
The periodic replacement of virus strains contained in influenza vaccine is necessary because of the constant evolution of influenza viruses, which can change their antigenic and genetic characteristics.
Click on the link to see the 2018 Australian influenza Activity Surveillance
https://www.immunisationcoalition.org.au/news-media/2018-influenza-statistics/
