'Flu vaccine
Posted: November 17th, 2023, 7:06 pm
Does it prevent infection or, like the Covid jab, does it just make it less severe?
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The flu vaccine can both prevent infection and make the flu less severe if you do get it. The vaccine works by exposing your body to inactive forms of the flu virus, which helps your immune system develop antibodies against the virus. These antibodies can then protect you from getting sick if you come into contact with the real virus.
The effectiveness of the flu vaccine varies from year to year, depending on how well the vaccine matches the circulating flu strains. However, even when the vaccine is not a perfect match, it can still provide some protection against severe illness.
A study published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases found that flu vaccination reduced the risk of hospitalization from influenza by 41% among adults aged 65 and older.
kempiejon wrote:My understanding is prevents. Though of course only for about 60% of the possible 'flu viruses that are abroad each year.
Ask bard. https://bard.google.com/?hl=enThe flu vaccine can both prevent infection and make the flu less severe if you do get it. The vaccine works by exposing your body to inactive forms of the flu virus, which helps your immune system develop antibodies against the virus. These antibodies can then protect you from getting sick if you come into contact with the real virus.
Bouleversee wrote:Thanks, both. Rather what I expected. Does it make any difference whether the transmitter of the infection (in either disease) has been vaccinated or is it just the recipient's status which is significant?
Having been instructed to shield as soon as Covid became established, I managed to avoid it until April this year when I picked it up in a queue outside a clinic dishing out the booster jabs for the elderly and vulnerable. No fun being laid low by any illness when you live on your own but it wasn't as bad as I think it would have been if I had caught it before I had already had several jabs. The other members of the queue were of similar status but someone (or many, including me) must have been infectious despite being well jabbed.
This Sunday, I was supposed to be having a visit from a relative of my late husband, plus his young family, but he phoned this a.m. to say he thought he had 'flu and perhaps had better not come unless he feels better tomorrow after spending today in bed. I have, of course, had the latest 'flu jab and was hoping to tell him when he phones tomorrow that he needn't worry about me as I have been vaccinated but you have confirmed my fears that that might not be the case so I'd just have to keep my distance. I did tell him that it might be an idea to take a Covid test as I was aware that a number of people who thought they had 'flu had contracted Covid in fact. Que sera sera!
Dicky99 wrote:When people say they have the flu I wonder how they know. One person's bad cold is another person's flu and some peoples' regular cold is another person's flu. I remember a GP on TV once saying if you are well enough to get out of bed it's probably not flu.