Some Flu Vaccines Offer More Protection than Others

Some flu vaccination brands promise more protection than others, according to Redding.

For the first time ever, flu vaccines will now guard against four strains of flu rather than the usual three. Called quadrivalent vaccines, these brands will prove to become more popular for children than parents because kids are more susceptible to catching newly added strains.

The four-in-one vaccines are so new that they make up only a fraction of the nation's overall supply of flu vaccine. But this type of vaccine is just one of the many others that will be made available this year.

People who are allergic to eggs may now avail of the egg-free shots that will be available in the market soon. There is also another type of shot designed for 65 year olds and above that targets the needle-phobic with just a skin-deep prick.

"We're moving away from the one size fits all to choosing the best possible vaccine for an individual's age and condition," said Dr. Gregory Poland, an infectious disease specialist at the Mayo Clinic.

"The flip side of that is that this will be a confusing year as the doctors and consumers alike try to choose," he added.

Federal Health officials recommend a yearly flu vaccine for nearly everyone, starting at six months of age.

On average, about 24,000 Americans die every flu season, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

According to the report, all of the nasal spray version sold each year in the United States will be in new variants called FluMist Quadrivalent. The catch is that the vaccine is only ideal for use among people who are healthy and aged two to 49. Those who are pregnant should not use the vaccine.