Two strains changed for Southern Hemisphere 2020 flu vaccine

A World Health Organization (WHO) advisory group, that met in Geneva to assess strains to include in the Southern Hemisphere’s 2020 flu vaccines, recommended swapping out the H3N2 component and one that covers the influenza B Victoria lineage. The new H3N2 component is A/South Australia/34/2019, which replaces A/Kansas/14/2017— the group’s delayed pick for the Northern Hemisphere’s upcoming flu season. The newly recommended H3N2 strain is also a change from the one included in this season’s Southern Hemisphere vaccine, which was A/Switzerland/8060/2017. Also, the new influenza B Victoria lineage strain is B/Washington/02/2019, which bumps out B/Colorado/06/2017, the one the experts recommended for last season’s Northern Hemisphere vaccines and this season’s Southern Hemisphere vaccine. The group’s pick for the 2009 H1N1 strain is the same as this season’s Northern Hemisphere vaccine, but is different than the one included in the current Southern Hemisphere vaccine, which is A/Michigan/45/2015. The WHO recommends the following for the Southern Hemisphere...