(NewsNation) — An infectious disease expert recommends getting the seasonal flu vaccine even if it won’t stop the new, fast-mutating variant, “subclade K,” that appears to be getting a toehold in the United States.
Dr. Todd Ellerin of South Shore Hospital in South Weymouth, Massachusetts, says vaccines, at the very least, are a good hedge against getting seriously sick.
“It’s likely to still reduce severe illness,” he told “NewsNation Prime” on Sunday.
Subclade K, a variant of flu type A H3N2, has caught medical professionals off-guard. It already has spread rapidly in several countries, including Japan, the United Kingdom and Canada, straining healthcare systems. The subtype emerged over the summer, with seven new mutations.
“Unfortunately, because the way vaccine technology is, we have to make our vaccine about six to nine months before the flu season, so we weren’t able to capture the strain,” Ellerin said.
A preliminary analysis from the U.K. suggests vaccines provide at least partial protection from the variant.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday posted data showing low flu activity so far, with only one state — Louisiana — reporting moderate activity. Most of the reported infections have been in children, said the CDC’s Alicia Budd. Subclade K has been detected in many cases.
Flu seasons tend to get bad between December and February, and illnesses likely will accelerate as people travel and gather for Thanksgiving, said Asefeh Faraz Covelli of the George Washington University School of Nursing, who predicts a severe flu season.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.