Bangkok: Influenza vaccinations should focus on the 3-strain flu shot, as there is no need for the 4-strain version, according to Dr. Yong Poovorawan, a Royal Academician of Thailand and a professor at the Clinical Virology Center, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University.
According to Thai News Agency, Dr. Yong shared on Facebook that influenza is composed of four strains: Influenza A includes strains H1N1 and H3N2, while Influenza B contains Victoria and Yamagata. The Yamagata strain has been classified as extinct, having not been detected worldwide for five years following a two-year eradication campaign. Dr. Yong noted that a virus not detected globally for over three years is considered extinct, thus future influenza outbreaks will only involve three strains.
Globally, the majority of vaccines now cover only these three strains. Dr. Yong emphasized that vaccination against the fourth strain is unnecessary and offers no benefit. He advocates for minimizing the antigens introduced into the body and suggests that vaccine costs should subsequently decrease.