Do you need a shot for flu, shingles, or pneumonia this year?
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Researchers here at Harvard and elsewhere are racing to find a vaccine that will protect us from Zika, the mosquito-borne illness linked to rare birth defects and to Guillain-Barré syndrome. Meanwhile, we already have vaccines to protect us against common and sometimes vicious illnesses.
This annual shot is considered a "must" for older adults, especially those with heart disease. The challenge is deciding whether to get the trivalent vaccine—a stronger dose that includes three influenza strains and may trigger an improved immune response in seniors—or the broader quadrivalent vaccine, which includes four flu strains.