The WHO has recommended dropping a component of many flu vaccines because the viruses it protects against appear to have been driven into extinction in the Covid pandemic.

The WHO has recommended dropping a component of many flu vaccines because the viruses it protects against appear to have been driven into extinction in the Covid pandemic.

  • Jack@lemmy.caEnglish
    432·
    1 year ago

    Wouldn’t an honest title state that a certain flu variant now seems extinct? Why spread a title that makes it seem like the vaccines are unsafe?

    Please downvote distortions like this.

    • Fades@lemmy.world
      1·
      1 year ago

      Because the media is only interested in click generation and very much not actual journalistic integrity

      It may not be good for America, but it’s damn good for CBS

      - CBS CEO

  • e0qdk@kbin.social
    40·
    1 year ago

    For anyone who just wants to know what component: they want to drop the influenza B/Yamagata variant of the flu virus since it appears to have gone extinct in the wild.

    • morry040@kbin.social
      25·
      1 year ago

      And it didn’t just go extinct by luck. It’s a good case study of how to control and/or eliminate a virus (e.g. COVID):

      “The rapid and global implementation of social distancing measures, masking, and the profound early reduction in international travel resulted in a substantial reduction in flu transmission.”

        • Pyr_Pressure@lemmy.ca
          7·
          1 year ago

          Better than nothing though.

          If we can get the world to agree to do 2 years of social distancing and masking in public places every 10 years maybe we can get rid of a lot more.

          Probably would have gotten rid of a lot more if certain people weren’t adamantly against masks for that 2 year period.

          • JoBo@feddit.uk
            2·
            1 year ago

            Much as I agree that more could and should have been done, I don’t think there is any way to contain this particular coronavirus (unlike the original SARS, which did go extinct from similar measures). SARS-CoV-2 transmits readily between people and animals. It would be impossible to avoid transmitting it to pets and farm animals, and from there impossible to avoid transmitting it to wild animals, and back again.

            We absolutely can slow it down to avoid healthcare systems collapsing under the strain but I don’t think it is possible to eliminate it and there probably never was a time when that was realistic, given how infectious it is and how many people are infectious but asymptomatic for at least a day or two if not longer.

            The only reasonable way to mitigate the risk in the long-term is proper ventilation/filtration in all enclosed public spaces, schools and workplaces. Plus ongoing six-monthly vaccinations at least until a vaccine which provides durable immunity is developed.