Flu Vaccines

[Badly Shaved Monkey]

I get vaccinated most years against seasonal flu, but I have seen comments about how ineffective it is. I've not paid close enough attention to draw my own conclusion, but have simply assumed that if the NHS has decided it's a good thing for vulnerable patients then I'd like some of that protection for myself. Is the criticism all anti-vax propaganda or does it have a foundation in reality?

 

[sol invictus]

I get vaccinated most years against seasonal flu, but I have seen comments about how ineffective it is. I've not paid close enough attention to draw my own conclusion, but have simply assumed that if the NHS has decided it's a good thing for vulnerable patients then I'd like some of that protection for myself. Is the criticism all anti-vax propaganda or does it have a foundation in reality?

The flu vaccine is always based on a guess, because it's supposed to protect you against next winter's flu - which doesn't necessarily exist at the time the vaccine is formulated. So they have to predict how the virus will mutate in the future, and that's highly uncertain.

But I think they often guess correctly, or close enough for the vaccine to be at least partially effective.

 

[casebro]

I assume each vaccine is for multiple strains. And actually lasts for several years. So after a few annual shots, you have built up some immunity to many different strains.

That's my theory and I'm sticking to it- until somebody with actual knowledge comes along.

 

[Ivor the Engineer]

I get vaccinated most years against seasonal flu, but I have seen comments about how ineffective it is. I've not paid close enough attention to draw my own conclusion, but have simply assumed that if the NHS has decided it's a good thing for vulnerable patients then I'd like some of that protection for myself. Is the criticism all anti-vax propaganda or does it have a foundation in reality?

Perversely, the flu vaccine appears to be most immunogenic in people such as yourself*, rather than the very young and elderly who are considered most at risk from influenza and are thus recommended to receive an annual flu shot.

As for how effective any particular flu vaccine is, it depends very much on how good a match the viruses used to create the vaccine are to the circulating strains during the actual flu season, which Sol has already pointed out. Also worth taking into account is the prevalence of influenza-like illness, which the flu vaccine will not provide much if any protection against.


*Assuming you are between the age of 18-60 years old.