2010 Flu Vaccine Will Protect Against H1N1

There's good news for those who loathe the flu and the needlesticks that go hand-in-hand with getting vaccinated: Next season's flu vaccine will also protect against H1N1, eliminating the need for two vaccines to cover both the seasonal flu and H1N1.

Every February, according to a CNN.com article, the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee advises the FDA on which flu strains to include in the next season's flu shot or spray. The recommendations are made early on in the year so that manufacturers have plenty of time to make enough vaccine by September or October, when health officials recommend people start receiving flu shots. Right now, the only licensed method for making vaccines is to grow them inside eggs, which takes a long time.

The CDC's most recent estimates show that between 41 million and 84 people in the U.S. have been infected with H1N1 since April of 2009. H1N1 was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization in June.

CDC officials are cautioning that the flu season isn't yet over. Anyone who is worried about contracting the flu should consider getting the separate seasonal flu and H1N1 vaccines that are currently available.