Universal ‘Holy Grail’ flu jab could soon be available

A universal vaccine that offers protection against multiple flu strains could soon be within reach of scientists searching for the “Holy Grail” of immunology.

Two teams of researchers have reported major progress towards creating a vaccine that could win the arms race with influenza, which continually mutates to dodge the immune system.

Both focused on the “stem” of a key component of the virus that remains unchanged in different strains, but is not easily targeted by the body’s defences.