Right when Covid took over…

Does it infect animals? If so it'll spill back in eventually?

Along with the pandemic, the flu vaccine likely played a supporting role.

IBV Victoria is still present, unfortunately. 😉

For those that are interested in forecasting here's a metaculus question on whether this strain will be declared eradicated by 2030: www.metaculus.com/questions/14...

Is it safe to assume it will be (or has been) replaced by other lineages?

Short answer is no, it's not quite so simple either way.

Well then, it's about time RFK gave it another chance.

Obligatory XKCD webcomic. 🤓 xkcd.com/2523/

Thank you covid? 🤔

Flu viruses spread every year and cause seasonal outbreaks. But one type, called influenza B Yamagata, may have completely disappeared.

📌

The chart shows global confirmed cases of B Yamagata flu over time. Before 2020, it peaked each flu season. However, no confirmed cases have been reported worldwide in the last five years.

This likely happened because COVID-19 precautions — such as social distancing, masks, and travel restrictions — sharply reduced social contact. With fewer opportunities to spread from person to person, B Yamagata couldn’t sustain transmission and eventually died out.

What I know about epidemiology would fit in the character limit here with a paragraph to spare, but that was my first thought on seeing this post.

What's really interesting is that it seems to have been very virulent in the winter of 2018, then in decline already before disappearing after 2020. I don't doubt Covid precautions killed it, but it may have already been in a vulnerable state.

Regulatory health agencies like the WHO, European Medicines Agency, and US CDC have recommended removing it from flu vaccines. This could allow room for other strains to be included in seasonal flu vaccines, improving overall vaccine effectiveness.

Good news is good news. I'll take it.

Thanks. Needed some good news today.

Great reporting. Thank you.

So, all the precautions to prevent the spread of infectious viruses actually work. So if we all locked down once a year, then not only would the entire human race be healthier, but animals & habitats would have a vacation from us too. ergo Capitalism breeds *Viruses & Working is a pestilence. 🙃

Well done Science and policy leadership!

when people start realizing the actual costs of covid and long covid and that we can kill covid like this, we could do it. Not this decade. But it's technically possible