The mRNA technology that was used to make both Moderna and Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccines could be used to make "more potent" flu shots, Kathrin Jansen, PhD, Pfizer's head of research and development, told CNBC.
Flu shots generally reduce the risk of illness from influenza viruses by 40 percent to 60 percent. Their effectiveness varies because influenza viruses are always changing, and scientists have to determine which strains they believe will be most prevalent in a certain flu season, CNBC reported.
But mRNA vaccines are more flexible, and scientists could quickly pivot and adjust an mRNA-based flu shot to match the more dominant strain, according to CNBC.
"I think the great success of the mRNA vaccines in addressing COVID-19 has clearly opened up a large number of possibilities," Dr. Jansen told CNBC.
Pfizer and BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine was the first time mRNA technology was cleared for use in humans, although it has been in development for years. It's said to be easier to produce than traditional vaccines, according to CNBC.
Moderna has said it will work on developing a flu shot using mRNA technology.
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