• Question: How do scientists know how to make a flu vaccine if viruses can be different every year?

    Asked by to Kieren, Rowena, Roy on 19 Mar 2014. This question was also asked by .
    • Photo: Rowena Fletcher-Wood

      Rowena Fletcher-Wood answered on 19 Mar 2014:


      They don’t – they have to race against the virus trying to keep up with it! Sometimes the viruses adapt a lot and are more resilient than other times. When a new dangerous strain comes out, scientists can only act to make the vaccine against it once it’s seen.

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