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Is is estimated that between 5 and 20 percent of the U.S. population will develop influenza this year, leading to more than 200,000 hospitalizations from related complications.

To help lower the number of people that can die from influenza each year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the 2012-2013 influenza (flu) vaccine formulation for all six manufacturers licensed to produce and distribute the vaccines in the United States.

The FDA, in conjunction with the World Health Organization, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and other public health experts study influenza virus samples and global disease patterns to identify virus strains likely to cause the most illness during the upcoming flu season.

The strains selected for inclusion in the 2012-2013 flu vaccines are:

A/California/7/2009 (H1N1)-like virus

A/Victoria/361/2011 (H3N2)-like virus

B/Wisconsin/1/2010-like virus

The H1N1 virus is the same as what was included in the 2011-2012 influenza vaccines, and this year’s influenza H3N2 and B viruses differ from those in the 2011-2012 influenza vaccines.

The FDA said that this year’s seasonal vaccines will provide protection against the three influenza virus strains that global surveillance indicates are likely to be the most common strains circulating during the upcoming season.

Experts from the FDA said the best way to prevent influenza is by getting vaccinated each year. They said this year is especially important to get vaccinated because two of the three virus strains used in this season’s influenza vaccines differ from the strains included in last year’s vaccines.

According to the FDA, vaccination remains the cornerstone of preventing influenza, a contagious respiratory disease caused by different influenza viruses infecting the nose, throat and lungs.  

There is always a possibility of a less than optimal match between the virus strains predicted to circulate and the virus strains that end up causing the most illness. However, even if the vaccine and the circulating strains are not an exact match, the vaccine may reduce the severity of the illness or may help prevent influenza-related complications.    

According to the CDC, The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, recommends that everyone six months of age and older receive an annual influenza vaccine.

  Health care providers play an important role in advising their patients to get vaccinated each year and should also protect themselves, their patients, their family, and the community from influenza by getting vaccinated.