Final answer:
You need a new influenza vaccine annually because the virus mutates quickly, causing changes that make previous vaccines less effective.
Step-by-step explanation:
The reason you need to be immunized with a new influenza vaccine each year is due to mutation. Influenza viruses mutate rapidly, and these mutations can alter the surface proteins of the virus enough that previous year’s vaccines may no longer provide adequate protection against the new strains. This contrasts with other viruses, such as those causing measles, mumps, and rubella, which mutate less frequently, allowing the same vaccine formulation to be effective for many years.