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Does the flu virus change every year?
Flu viruses are constantly changing (called “antigenic drift”) – they can change from one season to the next or they can even change within the course of one flu season.
Why must the influenza vaccines be reformulated each year and given each year?
It’s because new strains of the virus are constantly appearing and evolving, so the vaccine must change along with them. Located around the world are influenza surveillance centers that annually monitor the most common strains, collecting data and identifying new and evolving strains.
Why does the flu have a season?
Why flu season is in the fall and winter The flu tends to spike in the fall and winter for a major reason: the temperature. “The virus survives better in cool, dry temperatures,” Simanek said. And that’s thanks to a protective gel-like coating that surrounds the flu virus while it’s in the air.
How do viruses mutate over time?
As a virus replicates, its genes undergo random “copying errors” (i.e. genetic mutations). Over time, these genetic copying errors can, among other changes to the virus, lead to alterations in the virus’ surface proteins or antigens.
What months are considered the flu season?
In the United States, flu season occurs in the fall and winter. While influenza viruses spread year-round, most of the time flu activity peaks between December and February, but activity can last as late as May.
When is a mutation passed onto offspring?
If an acquired mutation occurs in an egg or sperm cell, it can be passed down to the individual’s offspring. Once an acquired mutation is passed down, it is a hereditary mutation. Acquired mutations are not passed down if they occur in the somatic cells, meaning body cells other than sperm cells and egg cells.
When is the end of flu season?
Flu season typically falls sometime between the start of fall and the end of spring. For the past three decades, flu activity has peaked at some point between the months of October and February but always tapers off by April.
Can you have flu in summer?
Flu in the summer is not common despite the Centers for Disease Control has detected the flu virus throughout the year. The virus is more effective in the fall and winter months, a period that’s also referred to as flu season.
Will Covid mutate again?
This may have been the case for the four coronaviruses currently in circulation, although there is no hard evidence to support this speculation. The report mentions that it is unlikely that the virus will mutate to become less lethal in the near future.