A family doctor from Romania answered the question that worries many Romanians: why cases of influenza A occur even in people vaccinated against influenza. Dr. Patricia Badea explained that the currently used vaccine is based on the flu strains from the previous season.
“Why, if I am vaccinated against flu, I still got influenza A this season? The flu vaccine is developed every year based on the strains from the previous season. The problem was that this season’s version is much modified compared to the one in the spring, therefore it only ‘kisses’ the vaccine in a small proportion”, the doctor wrote on Facebook.
According to her, the vaccine offers partial protection, especially against complications caused by the flu. “Although you contract the flu and have fever, headache, neck pain, muscle pain, these go away with symptomatic treatment, without any other notable complications. However, we also have high-risk people: infants and patients with multiple pathologies, where we must be careful. Let’s be healthy and I hope we don’t see a lump at the office door! (Hope dies last!)”added Dr. Badea.
Official data show that, from the beginning of the season until almost the end of 2025, 398 cases of laboratory influenza were confirmed in Romania, while more than 1.2 million people were vaccinated against influenza.
