THAT WOULD BE GOOD: Universal Flu Vaccine Could Be Available by 2013. “Annual flu shots might soon become a thing of the past, and threats such as avian and swine flu might disappear with them as a vaccine touted as the ‘holy grail’ of flu treatment could be ready for human trials next year. That’s earlier than the National Institutes of Health estimated in 2010, when they said a universal vaccine could be five years off. By targeting the parts of the virus that rarely mutate, researchers believe they can develop a vaccine similar to the mumps or measles shot—people will be vaccinated as children and then receive boosters later.” The story doesn’t explain why it’s going to be ready so much sooner than predicted, though.