The Food and Drug Administration approved six flu vaccines for the upcoming flu season changing all three flu strains in each of the vaccines.

The decision comes after the last year’s flu vaccine was only 44 percent effective overall because, unfortunately, two of the three strains were not good matches. Hundreds of people in 44 states in the US got influenza last year. By February, when flu usually reaches its highest peak, 10 pediatric deaths were registered last year.

Each vaccine contains three-influenza viruses-one A (H3N2) virus, one A (H1N1) virus, and one B virus. How well the flu vaccine works depends on how well the match is between the influenza vaccine and the types of flu viruses that are circulating that year. Experts from the FDA, World Health organization, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other institutions try to predict what strains (types) of flu viruses are most likely to spread and cause illness each year to put into the vaccine.

“One of the biggest challenges in the fight against influenza is producing new vaccines every year. There s no other instance where new vaccines must be made every year. The approval of flu vaccines is a part of FDA’s mission to promote the health of Americans throughout the year,” Jesse L. Goodman, M.D., M.P.H., director of FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research said.

The flu vaccines to be used in the 2008-2009 influenza season in the US protect against A/Brisbane/59/2007 (H1N1)-like virus, an A/Brisbane/10/2007 (H3N2)-like virus and a B/Florida/4/2006-like virus. Two of the strains included in this year’s vaccine are already circulating in the Southern Hemisphere, where flu season is already under way, the FDA said.

The vaccines approved this year and their manufacturers are as follows: CSL Limited, Afluria; GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals, Fluarix; ID Biomedical Corporation of Quebec, FluLaval; MedImmune Vaccines Inc., FluMist; Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics Limited, Fluvirin; and Sanofi Pasteur Inc., Fluzone.

According to the CDC, anyone who wants to reduce his or her chances of getting the flu can get vaccinated. However, it is recommended that certain people should get vaccinated each year. They are either people who are at high risk of having serious flu complications (such as children aged 6 months until their 5th birthday, pregnant women, people 50 years of age and older and people of any age with certain chronic medical conditions) or people who live with or care for those at high risk for serious complications.

According to the CDC, about 5 to 20 percent of the US population gets the flu, a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. More than 200,000 are hospitalized from flu complication and there about 36,000 flu-related deaths.

October or November is the best time to get vaccinated, but you can still get vaccinated in December and later. Flu season can begin as early as October and last as late as May.