UMD receives $200 million grant to develop multi-year flu vaccine

The University of Maryland School of Medicine recently won a $200 million grant from the federal government in late September, with the purpose of developing a new and improved flu vaccine. Researchers hope to develop a vaccine that will last throughout multiple flu seasons and negate the need for a yearly vaccine visit. 

According to the Baltimore Sun, UMD’s grant will fund the next seven years of research to create this improved flu vaccine, which also aims to combat multiple flu variants with just a single dose. Dr. Kathleen Neuzil, director of UMD’s Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health, will be leading these upcoming years of research. Rather than targeting the strains of flu viruses that change each year, the research team is approaching the vaccine development by targeting the proteins on the surface of the flu virus that don’t often change between years. 

The announcement of the grant comes as many people prepare for their yearly flu shot with the upcoming season. Although usually taken lightly, the “common flu” illness is one of the globe’s greatest health threats. Influenza has affected an estimated 9.3 million to 49 million people each year since 2010, with an estimated number of 960,000 hospitalizations and up to nearly 80,000 deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

Even with these risks, people still often avoid getting their annual flu shot. According to UChicago Medicine, even with the high amount of deaths, around 41 percent of people avoided getting their flu shot in 2018.

The flu season hits annually, and although the influenza virus exists year-round, most people contract it in the fall and winter months. Consequently, flu vaccines are developed and administered every year. However, many people do not realize that the influenza virus is not a singular strain and varies year to year, making this development of a multi year vaccine a challenging feat, as reported in the Baltimore Sun.

This annual flu virus is also easily contagious and thus very contractible among students in school. Montgomery County students find the grant to be a useful investment, and many agree that a new and improved multi year flu vaccine could benefit people greatly.

“I think it’s a great idea. I think it’s very important to get flu shots and for them to try and develop a product like that to prevent against diseases and other illnesses is just important, honestly,” Rockville senior Kathleen McPhillips said. “I think that if it does work it will lead to a lot more progress in science and future medications, and overall just make it more convenient for people to get their flu shots if they only have to go once every five, ten years.”

Other students in Montgomery County held a similar stance to McPhillips. “I think that’s a pretty interesting idea that should be pursued and looked into further. It seems like it could be a pretty helpful development,” Rockville junior Amaris Alonzo-Romero said. 

“I think it will help the public for the future. It’s good to have a multi year vaccine” Rockville senior Julian Lee said. 

The development of this multi year vaccine, though complicated, could bring new benefits for students especially. Instead of stressing over getting their annual flu shot every year, a successful multi year vaccine might only require one shot to last them throughout secondary schooling.

As the Baltimore Sun stated, a lack of confidence in the annual flu vaccine’s effectiveness is also a top reason people do not receive their shots. A more effective vaccine that is only required once every few years may just boost people’s willingness to receive them. 

UMD scientists are planning on using the first $2.5 million on testing some of the vaccines already in the works on human volunteers, The Baltimore Sun reported.

Article by Alexandra Amaya of Rockville High School

Graphic by Jillian Wimbush of Richard Montgomery High School