How long will the influenza vaccination offer protection?
It takes about 2 weeks after influenza vaccinations for a person to develop protection against influenza infection. It is therefore important to plan a vaccination program before there is an increased probability of infection from contact with others. The amount of antibodies in the body is greatest 1 or 2 months after influenza vaccinations and then gradually declines.
It is recommended that vaccines to be used in the 2008 season (southern hemisphere winter) contain the following:
- an A/Solomon Islands/3/2006 (H1N1)-like virus*,
- an A/Brisbane/10/2007 (H3N2)-like virus,
- a B/Florida/4/2006-like virus.
*A/Solomon Islands/3/2006 is a current vaccine virus