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Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness Estimated at 16 Percent

poor grade

In an interim report published on Mar. 11, 2022, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates the effectiveness rate  of the influenza vaccine at 16 percent during 2021-2022. The rate, which the CDC termed as “not statistically significant,” is based on a study involving 3,636 children, adolescents and adults in the United States from Oct. 4, 2021 to Feb. 12, 2022.1 2 3 4 5 6 According to the study researchers:

influenza vaccination did not significantly reduce the risk of outpatient medically attended illness with influenza A(H3N2) viruses that have predominated so far this season.6

This Year’s Influenza Vaccine ‘Basically Worthless’

The flu shot’s low rate of effectiveness “suggests that there was a mismatch between the strains of virus in the vaccine and what’s circulating,” said Jesse Goodman, MD, MPH, a professor and infectious disease specialist at Georgetown University’s School of Medicine. “It’s not ineffective, but it’s clearly suboptimal in its efficacy.”4

William Schaffner, MD, professor of preventive medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, went further than that, characterizing this season’s flu shot as “essentially ineffective.”3 An article in Gizmodo put it more bluntly. Its headline read: “This Year’s Flu Vaccine Was Basically Worthless”.7

Dr. Schaffner added, “I can’t remember an ineffectiveness that was much lower than that.”2

In fact, the flu shot’s effectiveness rate did drop to 10 percent in 2004-2005.8

“We need to continue funding the research to create a better influenza vaccine,” Dr. Schaffner said. “Going forward, flu is going to continue to appear around the world and make annual epidemics that cause incredible amounts of illness, social and economic disruption, so we clearly need a better influenza vaccine.”2

Effectiveness of Annual Flu Shot Seldom More Than 50 Percent

The reality is that the estimated effectiveness rates for the annual flu shot are never high, seldom surpassing 50 percent and never surpassing 60 percent. The last time the effectiveness rate hit 60 percent was in 2010-2011. The effectiveness rate for the flu shot generally averages just over 40 percent, meaning that the vaccine is usually around 60 percent ineffective.8 9 10

During 2020-2021, the CDC did not estimate the flu shot’s effectiveness rate because of a lack of data due to low flu circulation that season. “Assessing [vaccine effectiveness] when there has been little flu circulating and in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic is complicated and the estimates are not as rigorous as when there is more flu circulation,” noted CDC spokesperson Kristen Nordlund.2

During the previous five years, however, the vaccine’s effectiveness rates were pegged at 39 percent (2019-2020), 29 percent (2018-2019), 38 percent (2017-2018), 40 percent (2016-2017) and 48 percent (2015-2016). In 2014-2015, the effectiveness of the flu shot was estimated at 19 percent.9 10

Despite the often gross ineffectiveness of the flu shot, the CDC and many doctors continue to recommend getting it based on the rationale that it’s “better than nothing.” Paul E. Sax, MD of NEJM Journal Watch, for example, states:

We doctors, nurses, PAs, and pharmacists can be forgiven if the weak efficacy data might take some of the energy out of our annual recommendation. But let’s try to keep giving the vaccine.8

Perhaps this mindset is best highlighted by Egypt Galloway of Wilkes-Barre, PA, who notes, “I wouldn’t say the flu shots are a bad thing because nine times out of ten it doesn’t work.”8

Nine Influenza Vaccines Licensed in U.S.

The CDC lists nine influenza vaccines licensed for use in the U.S., and these vaccines, along with their ingredients taken directly from the manufacturer package inserts, are as follows:

  • Influenza (Fluarix) Quadrivalent contains octoxynol-10 (TRITON X-100), α-tocopheryl hydrogen succinate, polysorbate 80 (Tween 80), hydrocortisone, gentamicin sulfate, ovalbumin, formaldehyde, sodium deoxycholate and sodium phosphate-buffered isotonic sodium chloride.
  • Influenza (Flublok) Quadrivalent contains sodium chloride, monobasic sodium phosphate, dibasic sodium phosphate, polysorbate 20 (Tween 20), baculovirus and Spodoptera frugiperda cell proteins, baculovirus and cellular DNA and Triton X-10.
  • Influenza (Flucelvax) Quadrivalent contains Madin Darby Canine Kidney (MDCK) cell protein, phosphate buffered saline, protein other than HA, MDCK cell DNA, polysorbate 80, cetyltrimethlyammonium bromide, and β-propiolactone and a mercury derivative known as thimerosal (multi-dose vials).
  • Influenza (Flulaval) Quadrivalent contains ovalbumin, formaldehyde, sodium deoxycholate, α-tocopheryl hydrogen succinate, polysorbate 80 and phosphate-buffered saline solution.
  • Influenza (Fluzone) Quadrivalent contains formaldehyde, egg protein, octylphenol ethoxylate (Triton X-100), sodium phosphate-buffered isotonic sodium chloride solution and mercury derivative thimerosal (multi-dose vials).
  • Influenza (Fluzone) High-Dose contains egg protein, octylphenol ethoxylate (Triton X-100), sodium phosphate-buffered isotonic sodium chloride solution and formaldehyde.
  • Influenza (FluMist) Quadrivalent contains monosodium glutamate, hydrolyzed porcine gelatin, arginine, sucrose, dibasic potassium phosphate, monobasic potassium phosphate, ovalbumin, gentamicin sulfate and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA).
  • Influenza (Afluria) Quadrivalent contains sodium chloride, monobasic sodium phosphate, dibasic sodium phosphate, monobasic potassium phosphate, potassium chloride, calcium chloride, sodium taurodeoxycholate, ovalbumin, sucrose, neomycin sulfate, polymyxin B, betapropiolactone, hydrocortisone and mercury derivative thimerosal (multi-dose vials).
  • Influenza (Fluad) Quadrivalent contains squalene, polysorbate 80, sorbitan trioleate, sodium citrate dihydrate, citric acid monohydrate, neomycin, kanamycin, hydrocortisone, egg protein and formaldehyde.11

Additional information about influenza and influenza vaccines, including complete copies of influenza vaccine package inserts that also list contraindications, reported reactions, results of pre-licensure clinical trials and other facts, can be found on NVIC.org.


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Click here to view References:

1 Bean M. Flu shot offers little protection this season, CDC data showsBecker’s Hospital Review Mar. 11, 2022.
2 Christensen J. This season’s flu vaccine seems to be a poor match, early CDC data shows, but it’s been a mild flu seasonCNN Mar. 10, 2022.
3 Lovelace B. This season’s flu vaccine was a poor match for the virus, CDC reportsNBC News Mar. 10, 2022.
4 Lukpat A. Flu Vaccine Was Not Very Effective This Season, the C.D.C. SaysThe New York Times Mar. 10, 2022.
5 Shaheen M. Latest flu vaccine was INEFFECTIVE during the 2021-2022 season and was deemed a ‘poor match’ to the strain, CDC report findsDaily Mail Mar. 10, 2022.
6 U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Interim Estimates of 2021–22 Seasonal Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness — United States, February 2022Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report Mar. 11, 2022.
7 Cara E. This Year’s Flu Vaccine Was Basically WorthlessGizmodo Mar. 11, 2022.
8 Cáceres M. Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness a ‘Dismal 10 Percent’The Vaccine Reaction Jan. 2, 2018.
9 Burch K. Understanding Flu Vaccine EffectivenessVerywell Health Jan. 26, 2022.
10 CDC. CDC Seasonal Flu Vaccine Effectiveness Studies. Mar. 11, 2022.
11 CDC. Vaccine Excipient Summary.

13 Responses

  1. Vaccines: The ONLY industry in America where abject failure is rewarded with MORE attempts at sales! And if something works too damn well (vitamin C, D, H.C.Q., I.V.M., etc.) it’s condemned. That tells you where the brains are of the “professionals” in this industry. They’re not professionals, but shills for Big Pharma.

  2. You can never prove if the flu vaccine is effective. You get the injection and you may or may not experience flu. Therefore, you would never know what might have happened if you didn’t get the injection. You might have escaped the flu or not.

    There is no way to tell if you take path A what might have happened verses taking path B. And vice verse…it’s all probabilities and speculation provided the data is accurate. In plain English…it’s all guesswork.

    The ARR, or absolute real-world risk reduction for the mRNA injections is at best 1%. This means that despite what big pharma, the medical community, the FDA, AMA or CDC are telling you, these injections do not make or keep you healthy. Quite the opposite as we have been finding out over the last 16 months.

  3. I have never got the flu shot and I’ve never had the flu. I haven’t taken the jab nor the booster jabs and have not got cov 19 either. We have traveled all over. Makes one wonder is this all about big pharma making more money. I don’t trust the government either. I take my vitamins, exercise and eat pretty much healthy most of the time.

    1. Government agencies as well as pharmaceutical industries aren’t trustworthy. I’m quite appalled by those ingredients in each different flu vaccine brand. Safe and effective vaccine???!! Come on, what a joke.

  4. “This Year’s Influenza Vaccine ‘Basically Worthless’”

    That is pretty much my judgement call on any flu vaccine, in any given year. Waste of money, waste of time, definitely not good for your health, and one of the biggest scams of all time.

  5. They never tell you it takes a average of 60 flu vaccines to prevent 1 flu depending on exposure and health.

    Why would CDC recommend the vaccine to someone that had a bad reaction?

  6. The flu, just like “the common cold,” is one of the many invented illnesses to cover up environmental poisonings. Not a single virus has ever been isolated. How can a “vaccine” be made for something that doesn’t exist?

    Germ Theory, along with Virology, is a fraud.

  7. The theory behind it all sounds convincing but if you just stop and think about it for a second it’s all BS. All vaccines do is eff up the immune system and make customers for life for big pharma. If you give your kids enough vitamin C they will be ok, even if they have a disease like measles etc. Having a ‘virus’ is just the bodies way of getting rid of accumulated poisons. When you come out in spots etc like in measles, the body is already on it’s way to getting rid of the toxins. A bit more vitamin C will do it, and if you can give in intravenously, even more so. China ended all lockdowns 100 days after this all started by using IVC. By June 1st 2020 they had their cure, and it is cheap as chips.
    As an example using China’s calculations from the BMJ link, they purchased 50 tonnes of vitamin C from Dutch State Mines back in February 2020, so if 50 tonnes by their calculation is enough for 3 billion people, then we here in the UK would need just over 1 tonne for our 62 million population. I got 3 quotes from DSM but as i didn’t know which to purchase i based my calculations on the most expensive of the 3 which was £9 per kg, £11 per kg and £94 per kg, so i went with the last one and the total cost to the UK would have been about £100,000.
    Compare that to Boris Johnson telling everyone that they had taken £339 billion for covid and you can see who is being fleeced here.

  8. “Influenza (Fluad) Quadrivalent contains squalene, polysorbate 80, sorbitan trioleate, sodium citrate dihydrate, citric acid monohydrate, neomycin, kanamycin, hydrocortisone, egg protein and formaldehyde.”

    People need to be aware that “squalene”, aka MF59, was the adjuvant added to the Gulf War anthrax vaccines given experimentally to some unknowing soldiers which later was shown to cause the Gulf War Syndrome. The FDA’s claim of its safety was based on a flawed old Italian study which only gave the adjuvant to seniors, who were already complaining of old age type symptoms, so the MF59 was then determined “safe”.

  9. More useful is NNV:
    number needed to vaccinate to prevent 1 infection, or 1 hosplation, or 1 ☠️.

    I could not get the data from the CDC reference. They seem to calculate effective baced on the people with respiratory infections.

    The conclusion is in vaccinated ? people with respiratory diagnose , it is less likely the the respiratory illness is influenza.
    and only after 2 weeks.
    If ? increased your chance of getting sick within the first 2 weeks, it won’t appear.
    Also if ? increased your chance of getting another respiratory diagnose, it would appear that you were less likely to get influenza.

    I found on another sight that the number need to ? to prevent 1 Influenza infection is 71.

    For every 71 ?, we prevent 1 Influenza infection.

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