Universal flu shot close to becoming a reality: Dr. Marc Siegel
This year’s flu season has been one of the worst on record with reports that 85 adults and 20 children have died from the virus across the country. Last week, the CDC reported that 32 states across the country as well as Puerto Rico were experiencing high flu activity due to the flu vaccine’s ineffectiveness.
“Worst in years, 2012 and 2014 are similar but what’s even worse here is it’s peaking very early,” Fox News medical correspondent Dr. Marc Siegel told FOX Business’ Stuart Varney on “Varney & Co.”
According to Siegel, the issue isn’t just the flu directly but that it makes patients more susceptible to other infections as well.
“Flu is an enabler, once you have the flu it knocks down your immune system, you can have another infection come in that we need to treat with antibiotics. A lot of times I use Tamiflu for the flu and I add on an antibiotic for bronchitis or pneumonia or a urinary, ear infection is very common.”
But according to Siegel, a universal flu vaccine is close to becoming a reality that would end the need for annual shots.
“Now there’s a universal flu vaccine in the works Stuart that’s, I’m going to make you take that. I talked to Tony Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases yesterday, they’re starting clinical trials, it sounds very promising to me, a year or two away.”
“One shot, you’re good for life?” Varney asked.
“At least ten years,” Siegel responded.