The new flu vaccine could be universally effective and offer long-lasting immunity, instead of annual jabs (file picture)

Clinical trials of a new universal flu vaccine that could offer long-term protection against strains including human mutations of bird flu are starting at Oxford University.

If successful, the jab would overcome two problems – at the moment, doctors can only vaccinate against certain strains of flu and have to change the formulation every year in response to the developments of new variants.

Lead researcher Dr Sarah Gilbert, of the university's Jenner Institute, said: "This approach to influenza vaccination is unsatisfactory for use against seasonal influenza and of little use when new types of flu begin to infect humans from birds.

"It leaves manufacturers with a few months to produce the necessary stocks, the vaccine has to be administered to at-risk populations within a short time window, and those receiving the injection will all have to be vaccinated again the following year."

If initial trials on 12 volunteers are successful, the vaccine will have further testing before it can be approved for use.

Existing flu vaccines work by producing antibodies in reaction to proteins on the surface of the virus.

But it is those proteins that change between strains and develop over time, so the new vaccine instead attacks internal proteins that remain unchanged. This should make it universally effective.

Belfast Telegraph