Preliminary vaccine effectiveness results of about 23% across all ages indicate that the vaccine is working less well this season, likely because of substantial antigenic and genetic drift among circulating H3N2 viruses. Because flu vaccine tends to work less well in older people, vaccine effectiveness in the 65 and older age group will likely be lower. Even though vaccine effectiveness for H3N2 is reduced this season, CDC continues to recommend flu vaccination because it may still provide some protection, including reducing more severe flu outcomes like hospitalization and death. Also, flu vaccines protect against three or four different viruses and it’s possible that other viruses will circulate later in the season. As long as flu viruses are circulating in the community, health care professionals should continue to vaccinate patients who have not yet received influenza vaccine this season.