The non-pharmaceutical measures implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic, such as mask-wearing, social distancing, and improved ventilation, appear to have eradicated the influenza B/Yamagata lineage. No cases of this virus have been detected since March 2020. As a result, the World Health Organization has recommended that countries no longer include Yamagata-lineage antigens in their flu vaccines. This development marks a significant milestone in the fight against influenza and highlights the power of public health interventions in controlling the spread of infectious diseases.
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