CDC says this year flu vaccine is good match

CINCINNATI (WKRC) -- A new report just released said it was a good year to get the flu vaccine. People may recall that last years flu vaccine wasn't the match expected for the years flu strains. This year, so far at least, it's looking a whole lot better according to public health experts from the Centers for Disease Control. That is a big deal because it means that the vaccine is expected to match the strains of flu that are currently circulating. The big difference is that the vaccine has been updated to better match the h3-n2 strain, sometimes called the Switzerland variant. So far it appears that there are three or four strains of the flu starting to spread across the world and these do match what's in the flu vaccine this year. About a quarter of the flu's doses have already been administered. That is why public health experts think it's a good match. Last year people may recall that one of the flu strains mutated which made it different from the one in the vaccine. So far experts say they haven't seen that yet and the very early flu strains are those predicted according to the CDC report. People can now get a flu shot likely at a walk-in clinic, at some health departments or their workplace or doctors office. It takes a few weeks to become effective so it's not a bad thing to get in the next few weeks. In 2014 only the vaccine was barely more than 10 percent effective on that h3-n2 strain. So that's the one they are watching this year. It's now recommended for just about everyone as well as those at higher risk of getting the flu such as younger children and older adults. Follow Liz Bonis on Twitter @lbonis1, and LIKE her on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter @Local12 and LIKE us on Facebook for updates!