How did the 1976 swine flu outbreak lead to a massive vaccination program. What challenges did the program face. How does this historical event inform current pandemic preparedness efforts. What lasting impacts did the 1976 swine flu vaccination campaign have on public health policy.

The Origins of the 1976 Swine Flu Scare

In early 1976, an outbreak of influenza-like illness at Fort Dix Army Base in New Jersey set off alarm bells at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Over 200 recruits had fallen ill, with one fatality. When CDC scientists analyzed throat cultures from the base, they made a startling discovery – four samples contained what appeared to be the H1N1 influenza virus, the same strain responsible for the devastating 1918-19 flu pandemic.

H1N1, commonly known as swine flu, typically circulates in pig populations. However, in 1918 it had mutated to infect humans with catastrophic results, killing an estimated 50 million people worldwide including 675,000 Americans. The identification of H1N1 at Fort Dix, along with evidence of human-to-human transmission, raised fears of another potential pandemic.

Why was the H1N1 discovery so concerning to public health officials?

• It was the same strain as the 1918 pandemic virus
• There was evidence of human-to-human spread
• Most of the population lacked immunity
• A pandemic could potentially cause millions of deaths

The Decision to Launch a Mass Vaccination Program

Faced with the threat of a potential pandemic, CDC officials quickly mobilized to present their findings to Congress. They compiled extensive data and analysis to make the case for an unprecedented national vaccination campaign. President Gerald Ford, heeding the warnings of public health experts, requested that Congress allocate funds to vaccinate every man, woman, and child in the United States against swine flu.

This decision set in motion one of the most ambitious public health initiatives in American history. The goal was to immunize the entire U.S. population – over 200 million people at the time – before the next flu season hit. It was a monumental undertaking that would test the limits of vaccine production, distribution, and public communication.

What were the key factors that led to the decision for mass vaccination?

1. The similarity of the Fort Dix virus to the 1918 pandemic strain
2. Concerns about lack of population immunity
3. The potential for rapid spread across the country
4. The high mortality rate associated with the 1918 pandemic
5. A desire to be proactive rather than reactive to a possible pandemic

Challenges in Vaccine Production and Distribution

As the vaccination program got underway, it quickly encountered significant hurdles. One of the first major obstacles was vaccine production. The Fort Dix strain of H1N1 grew poorly in chicken eggs, the standard medium for cultivating influenza viruses for vaccines. This resulted in lower-than-expected vaccine yields, slowing down production and limiting initial supply.

The government also had to address liability concerns from vaccine manufacturers. To ensure their participation in the program, officials quickly agreed to indemnify the pharmaceutical companies against potential lawsuits arising from vaccine side effects. While this move secured the necessary production capacity, it also fueled public skepticism about the vaccine’s safety.

How did vaccine production challenges impact the immunization program?

• Delayed availability of vaccines
• Initial shortages in some areas
• Increased costs due to lower yields
• Compromised public confidence in the vaccine

Public Perception and Communication Challenges

As the vaccination campaign progressed, public health officials faced an uphill battle in terms of public perception. The rapid development of the vaccine, combined with the government’s decision to indemnify manufacturers, led to widespread skepticism. Many Americans began to believe that “there’s something wrong with this vaccine,” despite reassurances from health authorities.

The situation was further complicated by reports of a rare side effect associated with the vaccine. Some individuals who received the swine flu shot developed Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), a neurological disorder that can cause paralysis. Although GBS occurs naturally in the population, vaccinated individuals showed a slightly elevated risk.

What factors contributed to public skepticism about the swine flu vaccine?

• Rapid development and approval of the vaccine
• Government indemnification of vaccine manufacturers
• Reports of side effects, particularly Guillain-Barré syndrome
• Lack of widespread flu outbreaks during the vaccination period
• Mixed messages from health officials and media coverage

The Program’s Mixed Outcomes and Eventual Halt

Despite the challenges, the national vaccination program achieved remarkable results in its initial phase. In just 10 weeks, nearly 43 million Americans were immunized against swine flu, setting a new record for a mass vaccination campaign. This demonstrated the country’s capacity to rapidly mobilize and execute a large-scale public health intervention.

However, the mounting concerns about vaccine safety, coupled with the absence of a widespread swine flu outbreak, led to increasing criticism of the program. In December 1976, following reports of GBS cases among vaccine recipients, public health officials made the difficult decision to suspend the vaccination campaign.

What were the key outcomes of the 1976 swine flu vaccination program?

1. 43 million Americans vaccinated in 10 weeks
2. Demonstrated feasibility of rapid, large-scale vaccination
3. Increased public skepticism about vaccine safety
4. Suspension of the program due to safety concerns
5. Long-lasting impacts on public health policy and vaccine perception

Lessons Learned and Impact on Future Pandemic Preparedness

The 1976 swine flu vaccination program, while controversial, provided valuable lessons for future public health emergencies. It highlighted the importance of clear communication, transparent decision-making, and robust safety monitoring in vaccination campaigns. The experience also underscored the challenges of balancing public health precautions with scientific uncertainty.

In the years following the program, public health agencies conducted extensive reviews to understand what went wrong and how to improve future responses. These analyses have informed pandemic preparedness plans, vaccine safety monitoring systems, and public communication strategies for subsequent influenza outbreaks and other infectious disease emergencies.

How has the 1976 swine flu program influenced current pandemic preparedness efforts?

• Enhanced vaccine safety monitoring systems
• Improved risk communication strategies
• More robust decision-making frameworks for public health interventions
• Increased emphasis on transparency in vaccine development and approval
• Greater focus on building public trust in vaccination programs

The Legacy of the 1976 Swine Flu Program in Modern Public Health

The 1976 swine flu vaccination campaign left an indelible mark on American public health policy and practice. While often viewed as a cautionary tale, the program also demonstrated the nation’s capacity to rapidly develop, produce, and distribute vaccines on a massive scale – a capability that has proven crucial in subsequent public health crises.

Today, the lessons learned from the 1976 campaign continue to inform pandemic preparedness efforts. Public health officials now place greater emphasis on clear, consistent communication, robust safety monitoring, and flexible response strategies that can adapt to evolving scientific evidence. The experience has also shaped approaches to building and maintaining public trust in vaccination programs, a critical factor in the success of any large-scale immunization effort.

What lasting impacts has the 1976 swine flu program had on public health policy?

1. Improved vaccine safety monitoring and reporting systems
2. Enhanced focus on risk-benefit analysis in public health decision-making
3. More nuanced approaches to communicating scientific uncertainty
4. Increased emphasis on transparency in vaccine development and approval processes
5. Greater recognition of the importance of public trust in health interventions

Exploring the Intersection of Influenza, Art, and Public Health Education

The 1976 swine flu vaccination program not only impacted public health policy but also left its mark on popular culture and artistic expression. In the years since, various creative projects have sought to explore the complex relationship between influenza viruses, public health interventions, and society at large.

One notable example is the “Emerging Infectious Diseases” journal issue that examines influenza A viruses through the lens of art. This unique approach offers fresh perspectives on the cultural and societal impacts of influenza outbreaks and vaccination efforts. Similarly, artistic works that arose from great influenza pandemics provide valuable insights into the human experience of these global health crises.

How can art and creative projects enhance public understanding of influenza and vaccination?

• Visualizing complex scientific concepts in accessible ways
• Exploring the emotional and psychological impacts of pandemics
• Highlighting historical perspectives on public health interventions
• Fostering dialogue about the societal implications of vaccination programs
• Engaging diverse audiences in public health education

The intersection of influenza research, public health policy, and artistic expression continues to yield valuable insights and educational opportunities. From graphic novels like CDC’s “The Junior Disease Detectives: Operation Outbreak” to 3D-printable influenza virion models, creative approaches are helping to bridge the gap between scientific knowledge and public understanding.

As we continue to face the challenges of seasonal influenza and the threat of future pandemics, these multidisciplinary efforts play a crucial role in educating the public, fostering engagement, and building the collective knowledge needed to respond effectively to global health crises.

1976 Swine Flu Vaccination Program | David J. Sencer CDC Museum

h2N1

In addition to the discovery of the Ebola Fever and Legionnaires’ Disease pathogens, another major disease event in 1976 was Swine flu. Earlier that year, the New Jersey State Health Department asked CDC to identify an illness spreading at Fort Dix Army Base. An influenza-like illness affecting over 200 recruits had caused one death. CDC tested throat cultures sent from the base and found in four of the samples the virus believed at the time to be h2N1, the 1918-19 flu pandemic pathogen. h2N1, or as it is more commonly known, swine flu, is a strain commonly found in pigs. In 1918, the virus mutated to infect humans, killing 500,000 people in the U.S. and more than 20 million worldwide. Surveillance at Fort Dix suggested human-to-human transmission, indicating that the illness could spread rapidly in the U.S.

Making the Case to Congress

CDC scientists evaluated the possibility of a new h2N1 pandemic and presented the information to the U. S. Congress. Shown here are two thick books filled with typed data and information, highlighted points, and hand-jotted notes used by the scientists during their testimonies to Congress about the outbreak. As a result, President Gerald Ford asked Congress for funds to vaccinate everyone in the United States.

A photograph of President Ford getting his shot is also on display, encouraging Americans to get vaccinated.

Lessons Learned

The campaign faced several challenges. First, the Fort Dix strain grew poorly in chicken eggs, producing less vaccine than anticipated. Second, the government quickly agreed to protect manufacturers from claims in case the vaccine had harmful reactions. As a result, a public belief that “there’s something wrong with this vaccine,” emerged. A third blow to the vaccination campaign was Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), a rare, usually reversible but occasionally fatal form of paralysis. Although there are always GBS cases in the population, people who had received the vaccine were observed to have a slightly increased risk of developing GBS.

The program had mixed outcomes. The national vaccination program set an immunization record by vaccinating nearly 43 million Americans in the first 10-week period, proving that an emergency program like this was possible. Unfortunately, public health officials halted the program before completion. Ultimately, understanding how decisions were made during this program; how risks were weighed; and how the public, media, and industry responded helps CDC prepare for pandemics and other future public health emergencies.

From the source:

• Read stories from survivors and families and friends of non-survivors in CDC’s Pandemic Influenza Storybook.
• How do influenza viruses and art collide? Check out this Emerging Infectious Diseases issue exploring influenza A viruses through art and art that arose from great pandemics of the virus.
• Get up-to-date information from the Weekly U.S. Influenza Surveillance Report.
• Watch this Ted-Ed videoexternal icon explaining how viruses jump from animals to humans.
• Hear from CDC experts about different paths to public health and their work in CDC’s Influenza Division in the CDC Museum Public Health Academy Teen Newsletter: October 2020 – Influenza (Flu) Zoom.

Then and now:

• What did we learn from the 1976 Swine Flu Vaccination Program? Read all about it in this issue of Emerging Infectious Diseases.
• Explore the timeline of discovery and major breakthroughs in our understanding of the influenza virus.
• How has CDC’s vaccination campaign affected the spread of influenza activity? Compare the spread of the virus over multiple flu seasons with these maps.
• What made the 1918 flu so deadly? Read the whole story and what we can learn moving forward.

Give it a try:

• Check out CDC’s The Junior Disease Detectives: Operation Outbreak graphic novel.
• How much do you know about influenza? Explore prevention tips, key facts, and shareable videos with CDC’s Disease of the Week influenza feature, then try your hand at a short quiz.
• 3D print a deconstructable influenza virion at home with National Institutes of Health 3D Print Exchangeexternal icon.
• Interested in learning more about influenza? Find self-study resources about influenza and vaccination.
• Still curious? Take a deep dive into epidemiology and prevention of influenza in CDC’s Pink Book.
• Take a deep dive into seasonal flu in the CDC Museum Public Health Academy Teen Newsletter: October 2020 – Influenza (Flu).

Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum



The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Digital Library

The Swine Flu Immunization Program of 1976

View Digitized Materials

Digitized Holdings Related to the Swine Flu Immunization Program of 1976

Selected Items

• Launching the National Influenza Immunization Program (NIIP), March-April 1976
• White House meeting on the Swine Influenza Program, March 22
• President Ford’s remarks announcing the National Swine Flu Immunization Program, March 24
• Swine Influenza Immunization Program fact sheet, March 24
• Press conference: David Mathews, Jonas Salk, Albert Sabin, Theodore Cooper and David Sencer, March 24
• Support from the American National Red Cross, March 26
• Letter from citizen who survived the 1918 epidemic, April 15
• Delays, Concerns, and Liability Legislation, April-August 1976
• Legal questions raised by the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association, April 1
• Warner-Lambert telegram about liability insurance, June 15
• Letter from the Governor of Pennsylvania about delays, July 8
• Detailed status report from David Mathews, July 22
• Swine Flu Influenza Immunization Program Legislation fact sheet, August 5
• National Swine Flu Immunization Program Legislation case file for the President, August 12
• Program Outcome
• External Resource: The Swine Flu Affair: Decision-Making on a Slippery Disease by Richard E. Neustadt and Harvey V. Fineberg
• External Resource: “Reflections on the 1976 Swine Flu Vaccination Program” by David J. Sencer (CDC) and J. Donald Millar (NIIP)
• Audiovisual Materials
• Selected Photographs
• White House Communications Agency Audio: President Gerald R. Ford’s Remarks to the White House Press concerning the Swine Flu Crisis followed by press briefing, March 24, 1976,
  WAV or MP3
• Artifacts
• “FLU” Vaccine Bumper Sticker

Systematically Digitized Folders

• James Cannon Files
• Swine Flu (1)
• Swine Flu (2)
• Swine Flu (3)
• Swine Flu (4)
• Swine Flu (5)
• Swine Flu (6)
• Swine Flu (7)
• Swine Flu (8)
• Swine Flu – Meeting with the President and Dr. Cooper, July 9, 1976
• Swine Flu – Meeting with Secretary Mathews, Ted Cooper, Will Taft, and Paul O’Neill, July 20, 1976
• 1976/03/22 – President
• 1976/03/24 – Swine Influenza Immunization Program Meeting
• 1976/07/29 – Swine Flu Meeting
• 1976/08/12 – Swine Flu Immunization Program Signing Ceremony
• Vernon C. Loen and Charles Leppert Files
• Swine Flu (1)
• Swine Flu (2)
• Presidential Meetings with Congressional Leaders, 1974-76 (4)
• John Marsh Files
• Swine Flu
• Ron Nessen Files
• Press Secretary Briefings, 8/4/76
• Press Secretary Briefings, 8/9/76
• Press Secretary Briefings, 8/11/76
• Ron Nessen Papers
• Swine Flu (General Subject File)
• Swine Flu (Domestic Guidance for Press Briefings)
• Persico, Joseph (White House Memoranda)
• Presidential Handwriting File
• Presidential Handwriting 6/10/76 (1), Memorandum, James Connor to James Cannon. This item contains information regarding the purchase of a Swine-Type Influenza vaccine by Canada and Mexico.
• Presidential Handwriting 9/4/76, Recommended telephone call, Secretary Mathews. This item contains information regarding a recommended telephone call to Secretary David Mathews to discuss swine flu.
• Presidential Speeches: Reading Copies
• 3/24/76 – Remarks at a Meeting of the American Society of Medical Technology and the Coalition of Independent Health Professionals
• 3/24/76 – Remarks on the Anticipated Threat Posed by Swine Flu
• 4/1/76 – Advertising Council Reception in the East Room
• 4/15/76 – Remarks Upon Signing of H.R. Res. 890, National Influenza Immunization Program
• 8/6/76 – Remarks Urging Congressional Enactment of the Swine Flu Immunization Program
• 8/12/76 – Remarks Upon the Signing of S. 3735: National Swine Flu Immunization Program of 1976
• White House Press Releases
• Press Releases Related to Swine Flu
• White House Records Office: Legislation Case Files
• 4/15/76 HJR890 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations 1976
• 6/23/76 S1466 National Consumer Health Information and Health Promotion Act of 1976
• 8/12/76 S3735 National Swine Flu Immunization Program of 1976
• 9/23/76 HR9811 William S Middleton Memorial Hospital

Additional Collections for General Information

• President’s Daily Diary (Additional information on President Ford’s schedule and activities on any day of his administration. )
• White House Photograph Contact Sheets (View images taken by White House Photographers on any day of the Ford administration.)

To provide a public resource on this Federal government program, Ford Library staff members Anne-Louise Mittal and Nancy Mirshah selected and digitized a number of documents and photographs from the Library’s holdings. Ford Library staff have added more materials as they have been systematically digitized.

h2N1 swine flu shots in Moscow

h2N1 swine flu shots in Moscow

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The world periodically faces waves of seasonal h2N1 type A influenza, the virus of which mutates slightly every year. However, the general human immunity against this disease has always helped people cope with it.

This time, apparently, the virus was subjected to a stronger mutation. Scientists suggest that the disease appeared in Mexico, in the body of pigs. Genetic material from animals, not familiar to the human body, was mixed with the usual set of h2N1 genes.

This modified version of the seasonal flu that is familiar to us was called “swine flu”, and for obvious reasons, aroused the close attention of scientists. As established, the virus continues to mutate, and can be transmitted from person to person.

This circumstance increases the risk of the disease and makes it extremely difficult to create a vaccine against it. The disease, like the common flu, begins with fever, cough, sore throat and muscles, chills and general weakness. Patients often have diarrhea, which is one of the characteristic signs of swine flu.

The only right decision in this case is to call a doctor at home. Self-medication with traditional methods can be fraught with complications and even death. The doctor will make the correct diagnosis and prescribe the necessary treatment. There is currently no specific treatment for swine flu. It is treated in the same way as traditional virus strains. Prevention of the disease is traditional. It is necessary to observe the rules of general hygiene, which is the most important, to minimize visits to crowded places, avoid contact with people who sneeze and cough.

As you know, influenza is transmitted by airborne droplets. For this reason, if you happen to care for the sick, do not forget to wear a gauze bandage. However, we should not forget that it does not guarantee complete protection. The longer the mask is worn, the lower its effectiveness.

And if she began to get wet from breathing, or does not fit snugly to her face, then she is generally useless. There is currently no vaccine for swine flu. Vaccinations, flu shots, against various strains of regular seasonal flu are ineffective, and their use is useless.

how it works and whether it protects against disease, when to vaccinate and whether it is worth doing

What to do?

03/08/23

Anton

asked in the Community

I heard from many acquaintances that flu shots work very poorly: those who did them, then still got sick, and even more than usual. But now the vaccination campaign has begun, people have been called to be vaccinated. Explain whether flu shots work and whether it is worth spending time on vaccination?

Daniil Davydov

medical journalist

Author profile

Flu shots do not guarantee 100% protection. But this does not mean that it is not necessary to be vaccinated: vaccinated people are at least two times less likely to get sick than unvaccinated people.

The risk should not be neglected, as the flu sometimes causes severe complications and can even lead to death.

Go see a doctor

Our articles are written with love for evidence-based medicine. We refer to authoritative sources and go to doctors with a good reputation for comments. But remember: the responsibility for your health lies with you and your doctor. We don’t write prescriptions, we give recommendations. Relying on our point of view or not is up to you.

What is the flu and why is it dangerous

What is the flu. This is an infectious disease that is most commonly caused by two types of influenza A and two types of influenza B. During an epidemic, one or more influenza viruses can be contracted at the same time.

What Viruses Cause Influenza – Centers for Infection Control and Prevention, CDC

Influenza viruses mutate rapidly. Because of this, the structure of their surface antigens changes every year, that is, proteins by which pathogens are recognized by the immune system.

How flu viruses mutate — CDC

Renewed viruses are not recognized by the immune system, and last year’s protection against influenza, which people get if they get vaccinated or have been ill, is no longer valid in the new year. Therefore, the composition of influenza vaccines has to be changed every epidemic season.

In some cases, if a person or animal catches several influenza viruses at once and they enter the same cell, reassortment occurs: the viruses exchange genetic material – and supermutants are obtained that cause pandemic influenza. This is how a particularly dangerous version of influenza subtype A appeared – swine flu h2N1pdm09, which combines features of swine, bird and human flu. Since 2012, it has been taken into account when creating anti-influenza vaccines.

Is it possible to get two viral infections at the same time?

How to get sick with the flu. Influenza viruses multiply in the cells of the mucous membrane of the nasopharynx and lungs and are transmitted from person to person along with secretions from the respiratory tract during sneezing and coughing. In an infected person, symptoms of the disease appear after 1-4 days.

How to get the flu – medical encyclopedia Medlineplus

How to get sick with the flu – an international guide for doctors Uptodate

The flu usually starts unexpectedly: a person who felt fine yesterday suddenly develops a fever, in which the body temperature ranges from +38 to +41 ° C, a dry cough appears and severe muscle pain.

Other common flu symptoms are similar to the common cold. These are headache, nasal congestion and sore throat. But unlike the common cold, from which people recover completely in 7-10 days, the flu often has complications – from otitis and sinusitis to serious and even life-threatening. This, for example, can be pneumonia, heart failure and stroke.

For whom the flu is especially dangerous. Anyone can get the flu, but healthy adults rarely get sick with complications. However, they can infect more vulnerable family members, who are more likely to get seriously ill and with complications. These are people over 65, children under 5, pregnant women, and people with chronic conditions such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, and liver disease.

9 Vaccines You Can Get During Pregnancy

How to get treated effectively and inexpensively

The best materials on how to check a prescription, choose a quality medicine from a dozen analogues and return money for treatment – in your mail twice a month on Thursdays. Free

How influenza vaccines work

How vaccines work. The vaccines available in Russia do not contain whole viral particles, so it is impossible to get the flu due to vaccination.

How flu vaccines work – CDC

These drugs are cocktails of viral antigens. They introduce the immune system to viral proteins so that it learns to recognize them and is ready to face real viruses.

Who makes flu vaccines. Influenza vaccines are developed by the WHO, which has developed the Global Influenza Surveillance System. Employees of this organization work in 114 countries and study virus mutations for a year. By the beginning of the epidemic season, data are accumulating on exactly how influenza viruses mutate and which variants are more common.

What the World Health Organization does

WHO holds vaccine meetings twice a year, in February for the northern hemisphere and in September for the southern hemisphere. At these meetings, researchers analyze data on the frequency of occurrence of new mutants and choose which variants will be included in the final vaccine.

Why GISRS is needed – WHO

Global Influenza Program – WHO

What are influenza vaccines. Trivalent and quadrivalent influenza vaccines are available in Russia. Trivalent ones include antigens of two subtypes of influenza A and one subtype of influenza B, while tetravalent ones include antigens of all four subtypes of influenza A and B, which cause a seasonal epidemic.

How do trivalent influenza vaccines differ from quadrivalent ones – Journal of Clinical Microbiology and Infections

Of all influenza pathogens, type A viruses are the most common, so in many epidemic seasons, trivalent and quadrivalent drugs work the same way. But in some seasons, type B viruses are more common than usual – then the quadrivalent vaccine will work more efficiently than the trivalent one.

How effective are flu vaccines? How well a vaccine works depends on two key factors:

1. The person’s age. People younger than 65 are better protected by vaccinations.
2. The accuracy with which scientists have identified current mutations in influenza A and B subtypes.

How well influenza vaccines work – CDC

It is difficult to predict which mutants will come out ahead in the next season. Therefore, the effectiveness of influenza vaccines varies from year to year.

During the seasons when the right antigens of the viruses are included in the composition of the vaccines, the vaccine reduces the risk of getting sick with influenza by 50-60% in people in general and by 70-90% in people under 65 years of age.

But sometimes scientists choose the composition of vaccines not so accurately. For example, in the 2014/2015 season, the researchers did not guess with the most common subtype of influenza A – h4N2, although other antigens were selected correctly. The resulting drug reduced the likelihood of getting sick by only 23%.

2014/2015 Flu Season Summary – CDC

Why do some people get sick after getting the flu shot

Flu-like symptoms may occur some time after the shot. But it is not at all necessary that poor health is associated with this disease. Here are the possible options.

Why do some people feel sick after getting the flu shot – Mayo Clinic

Reaction to the shot. Some people have symptoms similar to SARS the next day after vaccination: temperature up to +37 °C, headache and muscle pain, slight weakness. Unlike the real flu, discomfort disappears within 1-2 days.

The person contracted not the flu, but another SARS. Influenza vaccines do not protect against cold viruses and the causative agent of SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus disease.

So what? 03/27/20

The most important questions about the coronavirus

The vaccine did not have time to work. When a person is vaccinated, protective immune proteins – antibodies – begin to be produced in his body. In order for them to accumulate enough for reliable protection, it should take about two weeks. If a person catches the flu before or immediately after the vaccination, they will get sick.

A person caught a virus that the creators of the vaccine did not take into account. Even against those viruses whose antigens got into the vaccine, the medicine protects with different reliability. For example, from 2004 to 2015, the effectiveness of a trivalent vaccine for subtype A h4N2 was 33%, for subtype A h2N1pdm0 – 61%, for subtype B – 54%.

Seasonal Influenza Vaccination for Adults – Uptodate

But there are still viruses that were not included in the vaccine, and pandemic supermutants that vaccines do not protect against. Although the risk of encountering them is less than with the most popular viruses, it is still possible.

Seasonal influenza has broken through the vaccine barrier. Despite being vaccinated, some people still get infected with the very influenza viruses against which the vaccine was created. However, the risk of being hospitalized is 26% lower for those who are vaccinated than for those who are not vaccinated. And if the infected do end up in the hospital, the likelihood of them experiencing severe complications or dying is reduced by 31%.

Is it worth it to get vaccinated against influenza

Major international medical organizations, including WHO, advise everyone to get vaccinated against influenza, regardless of age.

At the same time, it is especially important to vaccinate people at risk, that is, children under 5 years old, people over 65 years old, people with chronic diseases and pregnant women.

Which vaccine to choose. Most likely, two flu vaccines will be available to Russians this season: the quadrivalent Ultrix-quadri, which is produced by the Russian Fort plant, and the trivalent Sovigripp, which is produced by the Microgen company.

Ultrix Quadri – RLS

Sovigripp – RLS

According to European Medical Agency, or EMA protocol, influenza vaccines should contain 15 micrograms of antigens per dose by default unless a lower concentration has been shown to work as well.

Influenza Vaccine Guideline – EMAPDF, 345 KB

Ultrix Quadri contains 15 micrograms of each antigen per dose, while Sovigripp contains three times less active ingredient. According to the results of clinical trials published by Microgen in the Russian journal Vaccinal Prevention, Sovigripp meets the EMA requirements in terms of effectiveness.

Results of a study of the safety and immunogenicity of the domestic subunit adjuvant vaccine “Sovigripp” in volunteers aged 18-60 years – the journal “Vaccinal Prevention”PDF, 304 KB

Smorodintsev in 2020, Sovigripp protected against influenza no better than placebo.

Evaluation of the preventive efficacy of influenza vaccines – Journal of Epidemiology and Vaccine PreventionPDF, 265 KB

Based on the data from this study, we recommend choosing the Ultrix-quadri vaccine whenever possible. During the vaccination campaign, both vaccines will be available free of charge under the CHI policy, but Ultrix-quadri can also be vaccinated in a private clinic for money. Taking into account a medical examination before vaccination in Moscow, this vaccination will cost about 2750 R.

There is one more nuance that makes sense to pay attention to. The shelf life of influenza vaccines is 12 months. After the end of the vaccination season, the drug is supposed to be disposed of, but sometimes this is not done.