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While the flu is a common illness, that hardly means the science around it is static. Some recent studies have suggested that getting a yearly shot may actually diminish the benefit of successive vaccinations. Others have raised the possibility that statins — the commonly used cholesterol-lowering drugs — may actually interfere with your immune system’s response to influenza vaccine. Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently recommended against the use of the nasal mist vaccine that many kids prefer over injected vaccine. (Branswell, 9/27)

After the recent discovery that the popular nasal spray performed poorly against the flu virus over the past three flu seasons, doctors and public health officials are recommending only the flu shot this year. That has left many parents scrambling to calm needle-phobic children. (Shah, 9/27)