(Image source: HealthRelatedInfos.com)

BY KYLIE MCGIVERN

Scientists may have a shot at creating a universal flu vaccine.

USA Today reports the vaccine could become a reality sooner than you’d think.

Chief of the National Institutes of Health: “In another five years we may very well have a universal flu vaccine. You take it once and it covers you for all possible influenza viruses, present and the future - wouldn’t that be nice."

While many are hailing the research, others are more skeptical.

“A universal flu vaccine is not a question of whether, but when. [However] I think five years is a bit ambitious, given where we are now.”

Scientists from Britain and Switzerland found the antibody called F16 in a patient -  that could completely change the way we go about preventing the flu.

MSNBC explains why this antibody is is giving people something to talk about...

“The virus has proteins on the surface of it. They were using this small piece that changed year to year to make the vaccine - now they found a piece that actually doesn’t change from year to year and is the same with all the different flu strains, so they can target that stable protein and make the vaccine off of that. That’s why they can name a universal vaccine.”

Amazing, but is it too good to be true?

ScienceBlogs says the media coverage might be misleading.

“So finding a couple antibodies that are REALLY good at neutralizing influenza is really cool, but it has nothing to do with vaccines. ...Unless if by 'universal flu vaccine' you actually mean 'gene therapy for everyone instead of flu shots'... You certainly cannot make people generate a specific antibody unless you are doing it via gene therapy.”

So what does all of this add up to? TIME reports...

“... while a universal flu vaccine might seem like more of a convenience than a necessity, aside from enormous cost saving, the shot could prevent up to 49,000 yearly deaths in the U.S. per year..."