"How the Covid-19 Pandemic Altered Future Flu Vaccines"

The Covid-19 pandemic has led to the decline of a strain of the flu virus called Yamagata, prompting a unanimous recommendation by a panel of experts to exclude it from flu vaccines in the United States starting this fall. The change aims to streamline vaccine production and reduce the risk of reintroducing the strain into the population. The decision also opens the door to considering new vaccine formulas, but any changes would require testing and regulatory approval, making the return of four-strain flu shots unlikely in the near future.