If you're dragging your feet because you're concerned about getting the flu from the flu vaccine, let's take that worry off the table right now: scientists say that's just not possible.
The flu vaccine that most people get does not contain live virus. These shots are made with inactivated viruses, meaning that the viruses or virus parts in the shot have been killed. The nasal mist flu vaccine, however, is a bit different. It's made with "attenuated" virus, meaning the virus has been weakened but not killed.
We asked experts to explain how flu vaccines are made and what difference it makes whether you get one that delivers live-but-weakened viruses or one that contains inactivated viruses. But that's no longer the case. Today's flu shots are inactivated, meaning the viruses—or viral parts--in this type of vaccine can't possibly infect anyone because they're not alive. These are the shots that the majority of adults receive each season.
The viruses weakened but not killed. Still, they cannot cause influenza, says CDC. More on that below. But the real answer is more complicated than that. The virus came from birds, but it spent time evolving to infect humans in some other animal. We learned that changes in the protein that the flu uses to get into our cells HA protein worked differently than most other influenza viruses, and if we moved just that gene into seasonal flu strains, they got more virulent.
However, if we replaced the virus HA gene with the HA from the seasonal flu and left all the other genes the same, was just as virulent no matter which HA gene it had. So the HA gene plays a role but all the other genes do, too. Stop waiting for nature to spit out a new strain and then rush to make a vaccine to it. We learned we really need a universal influenza vaccine, a vaccine that will provide protection to all strains of the flu no matter what nature decides to throw at us.
We also learned we need more weapons than just vaccines. We need more antivirals, designed to target all the different parts of viruses. And not just influenza virus but every virus we think might have pandemic potential. We have made progress on these lessons. Also, we have a few more antiviral drugs today than we did 20 years ago, but clearly not enough to be ready for the next pandemic, this pandemic.
TA: Is there anything else in particular you think is worth noting to a general audience from the broader field of research into historical viruses? Koci: Nature gave us fair warning something was coming. A lot of people have been ringing alarm bells for years, but pandemic preparedness is a tough sell.
When it works, nothing happens and it looks like you wasted all that money. H1N1 did take off around the world, but it turned out to not be as nasty as we feared. Bush administration into federal agencies that support vaccine research like BARDA and rapid flu vaccines, and the vaccine plant here in Holly Springs had us an H1N1 vaccine in record time. I just hope the lessons we all learn, not just scientists, stick with us for a while. I was just looking for a bottom line summary that I could give my wife during a commercial break and get back to watching our show after I was quickly able to give her the answer.
For example, like if they do an autopsy on a body that just died from COVID, how long does it take for special handling procedures, or even special social distancing of the body until the virus is technically not able to infect someone else?
Very informative even to someone without medical background. Answered all my questions. The idea that a universal influenza vaccine is being developed is very reassuring.
Thank you! I have studied and watch news and science programs. We in the USA failed to have informed and enforced mask , social distant, testing , tracking , isolation. Gupta and models are similar. A idea may floor heat , crack a window in crowd room create a vent. All safety as above also. Heard immunity is bad plan. President Obama had a plan when he left office. Pierre-et-Miquelon St. Learn more about your flu vaccine options. For most individuals For seniors over 65 years.
Albert Travel Clinic. British Columbia. What is a Dead Vaccine? They also cannot be stored without refrigeration because they are quite fragile. What is a Weakened Vaccine? Dead vaccines are completely safe and pose no risk of causing the actual disease. Schedule Your Appointment.
Connect With Us:. Based on a number of these factors, scientists decide which type of vaccine they will make. There are several types of vaccines, including:. So you may need several doses over time booster shots in order to get ongoing immunity against diseases. Because these vaccines are so similar to the natural infection that they help prevent, they create a strong and long-lasting immune response. Just 1 or 2 doses of most live vaccines can give you a lifetime of protection against a germ and the disease it causes.
Subunit, recombinant, polysaccharide, and conjugate vaccines use specific pieces of the germ—like its protein, sugar, or capsid a casing around the germ. They can also be used on almost everyone who needs them, including people with weakened immune systems and long-term health problems. One limitation of these vaccines is that you may need booster shots to get ongoing protection against diseases.
Toxoid vaccines use a toxin harmful product made by the germ that causes a disease. They create immunity to the parts of the germ that cause a disease instead of the germ itself.
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