Close Menu
    A fast-spreading strain of influenza A (H3N2), known as subclade K, has fuelled headlines warning of a possible “superflu”. Study suggests that this year’s vaccine reduces risk of flu severe enough to require medical attention by 32-39% in adults, and by 72-75% in children and adolescents.
    Science

    A fast-spreading strain of influenza A (H3N2), known as subclade K, has fuelled headlines warning of a possible “superflu”. Study suggests that this year’s vaccine reduces risk of flu severe enough to require medical attention by 32-39% in adults, and by 72-75% in children and adolescents.


    A fast-spreading strain of influenza A (H3N2), known as subclade K, has fuelled headlines warning of a possible “superflu”. Study suggests that this year’s vaccine reduces risk of flu severe enough to require medical attention by 32-39% in adults, and by 72-75% in children and adolescents.

    https://www.gavi.org/vaccineswork/superflu-or-same-old-flu-how-subclade-k-influenza-playing-out-worldwide

    View 20 Comments

    20 Comments

    1. mvea on

      “Superflu” or same old flu? How subclade K influenza is playing out worldwide

      **A fast-spreading strain of influenza A (H3N2), known as subclade K, has fuelled headlines warning of a possible “superflu”.** The reality is more nuanced, scientists say.

      At a glance

      Subclade K is a newly emerged subgroup of a well-established human seasonal flu virus called H3N2 influenza A virus.

      So far, there’s no evidence from laboratory or population studies that this strain can bypass existing immunity from past influenza infections or vaccines.

      Flu vaccine effectiveness varies from season to season but typically falls between 30% and 60%. **Early estimates suggest that this year’s vaccine reduces the risk of flu that’s severe enough to require medical attention by around 32-39% in adults, and by around 72-75% in children and adolescents.**

      For those interested, here’s the link to the peer reviewed journal article:

      https://www.eurosurveillance.org/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2025.30.46.2500854

    2. Anti_colonialist on

      Regardless of what it’s called, regular or super flu, this was the sickest I’ve ever been in my life. It was way worse than COVID and lasted longer. Every other time I’ve gotten the flu or a common cold it only took a few days to recover from it, this one took 18 days. The same results with my husband.

    3. NoSaltNoSkillz on

      Whatever I caught like 3 weeks ago that tore through my workplace and stuff I almost went to the doctor and I still think I have lingering symptoms.

      It lasted longer than a week and my throat felt like all I was eating souo filles with shards of glass instead of noodles

    4. redcoatwright on

      Reducing the severity by 32-39% in adults *feels* abysmal, can anyone speak to what a baseline should be?

    5. grapescherries on

      I’m curious is this flu spread mostly through surfaces or through the air like Covid?

    6. prolifezombabe on

      I got the vaccine and I got awfully, awfully sick this week. That said, infection stayed in my throat, not lungs and I’m now on the mend. Whatever it was it was scary intense and if it was the flu in question then I’m very, very glad I got the vaccine.

    8. 6119 on

      Whole fam caught flu A last month. 3 out of 4 of us didn’t get it that bad. But 1 was sick for a week. I also you flu A last season and that majorly kicked my ass for over 7 days.

    9. RedLensman on

      put me in the hospital at christmas, still getting over it though at home now. yes i had the vaccine

    11. lvl_60 on

      I got very sick after flying back home before NYE. I was out for 2 weeks. Wasnt covid, doc said the flu, i had fever, bad cough and high bloodpressure. It was the first in a decade i had a high fever. Had to go to ER because pills werent helping. They gave me IV painkillers and put a cold compress around my vital points. Scary experience. I even fainted during a cough. They took some bloods to test and add it to the statistics. Doc at ER really had a face of “not again” like during covid.

    12. Cantora on

      Prefect time to be alive in the USA. Can’t wait to see what quackery the WH pushes which will result in countless avoidable deaths…

    13. codingTim on

      Can only confirm this was the sickest I have ever been in my life. I do not wish this upon anyone.

    14. AlanDove46 on

      Next year it’ll be Mega Flu or Extreme Flu with headlines using the term ‘concerning’.

      Concerning Rise in Mega Flu hits hospitals.

      Flu has, and always has been, bad. I think people lost their minds during Covid and forget how bad flu has always been. It’s just a part of life and you’d get headlines every now and again. People are a bit more sensitive since Covid hence why they play around with the adverbs to sell news stories. You only know when they want people scared then they give names to the strains.

    15. Nikadaemus on

      That’s an odd title

      My region Canada didn’t have this as their target strain 6 months ago when manufacturing them… 

    17. NoSaltNoSkillz on

      I still don’t know what I had was this, but the incubation time seem to be much longer because there was really no clear Proof of Who was the carrier due to one person seeming to recover before another person actually got sick. So it definitely spreaded from people who are asymptomatic and other people didn’t necessarily get sick right away, my wife didn’t even get sick until one to two weeks after I was feeling better so definitely problematic because it wasn’t necessarily clear when and for how long to self isolate

    18. Revenge_of_the_Khaki on

      I honestly cannot believe how under the radar this has flown. My wife and I nearly went to the ER because her symptoms were so bad.

      Everyone we talked to about it that week mentioned MASSIVE outbreaks in schools, offices, families, etc.

      One outbreak was a school of 900 students with about 50% out in one day. I’ve never even seen that from COVID.