A recent study shows that there are no negative effects from having annual influenza vaccine.

Earlier studies have suggested that having repeated annual influenza vaccine can prevent natural immunity to the virus, and potentially increase the susceptibility to influenza illness in the event of a pandemic, or when the vaccine does not “match” the virus circulating in the community.

But now, researchers at the Influenza Center in Bergen have published an important study, which concludes that annual vaccination does not increase susceptibility to infection in years of vaccine mismatch.

“These findings are important because they show that it is only positive to have annual vaccination, and it supports continuing the policy of repeated annual vaccine,” says Professor Rebecca Cox, Head of the Influenza Centre.

Researchers at the Influenza Centre in Bergen have over a period of five years followed 250 health care workers. They were vaccinated in 2009, and had annual vaccination in all subsequent seasons or no further vaccination between 2010 and 2013. 3000 blood samples were collected.

Read more at sciencedaily.com