Two separate studies have claimed that researchers are close to developing a universal, and perhaps even a permanent, influenza vaccine that should then eliminate the need for repeated shots every year, Tech Times reports.
The two separate researches were published in the Science and Nature Medicine, respectively.
The studies claim that researchers have were able to successfully identify a stable part of the virus that, if targeted, by vaccines could mean more effective immunization for a wider spectrum of influenza viruses.
"It's a very good stepping stone," said Prof. John Oxford from the University of London regarding this development.
"Ultimately, the hope is to get a vaccine that will cover a pandemic virus."
Flu vaccines are administered every year because the mutation rate for influenza viruses is quite high.
Every year, weakened versions of the strains that the healthcare authorities assume will be prevalent during that particular season are made available to the public. This strategy has a low effectiveness rate and there is always a scope for error.
Granted, this strategy does help save lives, but it has a low effectiveness rate, especially among older people, and there are times when predictions can be wrong, leading to infection of thousands every year.
"The vaccines we use for flu are really using decades-old technology," Prof. Sarah Gilbert from the University of Oxford remarked, according to BBC.
"There's nothing else we vaccinate against every year."
Currently, samples of broad-spectrum influenza vaccines are being tested on mice and ferrets. Experts are hopeful that better human vaccines for flu will be possible in the future.
