The flu vaccine barely worked to protect elderly people this year, and it helped prevent illness in just 56 percent of adults and children overall, federal health officials said Thursday. WGNS’ Rafferty Cleary has more….

Verbatim: This news in after the Tennessee Health Department sent press release after press release out suggesting the dire need to get the shot, but that's not to say the shot isn't worth it, we will let you decide...

 The center for disease control and prevention reports that the flu vaccine reduced the chances of illness by just 9 percent in people over 65. Overall, it reduced illness by 56 percent.

the CDC said in its weekly report on death and illness that Although this year’s vaccine was considered a good match for the most common circulating flu viruses, it still only provided 47 percent protection against the main virus, called H3N2.

And that was bad news for people over 65, because it has been an especially tough influenza season.

The vaccine was 58 percent protective in children, 46 percent effective in young adults, 50 percent effective in people aged 50 to 64 and 9 percent in people 65 and older.