Key Summary
- New H3N2 strain mutated in summer and spreads faster (higher R number)
- Flu season starting early; NHS issues “flu jab SOS"
- Vaccine protection is reduced but still prevents severe disease
Britain is witnessing an early flu outbreak this year and the experts claim it had mutated in the summer and appears to evade some of our immunity.
Prof Nicola Lewis, the director of the World Influenza Centre at the Francis Crick Institute, told BBC, “We haven't seen a virus like this for a while, these dynamics are unusual.”
The NHS has issued a “flu jab SOS” as it fears the cases would mount during winter.
The strain of H3N2 seasonal flu virus underwent seven mutations this year, unexpectedly in the middle of northern hemisphere’s summer.
As per the scientists, the “shift and drift” style of the viruses’ evolution makes the yearly updation of vaccine a necessity.
If the virus spreads more easily, it won’t need winter conditions to take off and could start the flu season earlier.
Early estimates suggest this year’s flu strain has a higher R number (1.4 vs the usual 1.2), meaning 100 infected people could spread it to about 140 instead of 120.
So, timely vaccination is the inevitable practice to stay safe.
This year’s flu vaccine offers reduced protection because a new strain emerged after the vaccine was designed, but it could still lessen severe illness and hospitalisations.
Doctors are being reminded to use early antivirals, and countries like Japan are closing schools to contain outbreaks.
