Flu shots boosted

According the U.S. Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness Network, this season’s influenza vaccine has been 45 percent effective at preventing the illness. A late-season surge of sick patients last year brought the effectiveness of that vaccine down to 29 percent, according to the network, which is part of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While both Influenza A and Influenza B have been detected, the B “Victoria” strain has been the most widely circulating. Since there are still a couple of months left in this flu season, play it safe and get a shot and buoy your resistance.