Is Your Vaccine a Cocktail🍹?!

Should You Get the Seasonal Flu Vaccine? Who Should Get It? How Are Vaccines Made? Q&A!

Every year, schools or employers encourage you to get the flu vaccine💉. Do you follow their advice👶? Or do you feel that life is already exhausting😭 and you don’t want to add another challenge to your immune system, leaving it to fate whether you catch the flu?

In this article, we will discuss some common questions🤔 and concerns😟 about the flu vaccine, helping you understand it better and dispel some misconceptions. For example:

Why might you still get the flu after getting vaccinated😷🤧? Who predicts the flu strains each year, and how are the vaccines prepared in advance? Isn’t injecting so many viruses🦠 and chemicals into your body accumulating toxins?

In the first part, I will summarize some common questions and provide answers to introduce how vaccines are made. The second part will briefly explain how vaccines work, which might be a bit technical and only for those interested in a deeper understanding.

Sneak Peek: Next time, we’ll talk about mRNA vaccines🆚traditional vaccines💉

(Shican Claire’s Original photo)

(This article does not represent any medical advice. Please reach out to your doctor for more information and medical advice

Q&A

Why do you still get the flu after getting vaccinated?

Because…

Flu vaccines are cocktails🍹

Of course, it’s not real alcohol. It means that each year’s flu vaccine is actually a mix (cocktail) of several predicted flu virus strains, either inactivated or antigen parts, to prevent multiple flu viruses. Since it’s not a single virus🦠 but multiple viruses🦠, it’s called a cocktail🍹. However, this is only an estimate, so it can’t be 100% accurate in predicting all the viruses you might encounter.

(Shican Claire’s Original image)

Who predicts the annual flu strains?🧝‍♀️

The World Health Organization (WHO) and its partners monitor flu viruses worldwide throughout the year and collect and analyze patient virus samples.

The WHO holds two meetings each year to predict the most likely flu strains for the next season based on recent flu activity in both hemispheres.

There are many types of viruses🦠, so how do they predict the most likely ones each year?

Remember that our seasons are opposite in the northern and southern hemispheres? So the flu seasons are different. In the northern hemisphere🌎, the flu season is in October, and the flu vaccine components are usually decided in February by the WHO and then put into production, testing, and manufacturing. In the southern hemisphere🌍, the flu season is in April, and the vaccine components are decided in September.

(Shican Claire’s Original image)

The prediction for the northern hemisphere is based on the prevalent strains in the previous southern hemisphere flu season; the southern hemisphere’s vaccine components are based on the previous northern hemisphere flu season. This forms a logical loop😂.

Flu viruses are constantly mutating, and the main strains change each year. By observing the main strains and their trends in one hemisphere, health authorities can more confidently predict the dominant strains for the next season in the other hemisphere. But the reference strains continues to mutate and circulate around the globe⭕️.

(Shican Claire’s Original image)

It’s not perfect

Although this method is the best available, it also has challenges and risks, such as sudden strain changes after the vaccine components are decided, leading to reduced vaccine effectiveness.

(Shican Claire’s Original Photo)

Is it really necessary to get the flu vaccine?

Absolutely! Although predictions are not perfect, they can still protect you to a large extent. Moreover, getting vaccinated can effectively reduce the risk of illness for your family and friends🧑‍🤝‍🧑👫👯 and the community👪. Especially if there are immunocompromised individuals or patients around you, getting vaccinated can be a way to do good deeds🌹!

Suitable Groups

Workaholics with a tight schedule and no time to recover from illness.
People who face crowds every day, such as teachers and doctors.
International students alone abroad, where medical treatment is inconvenient, and you don’t want to worry your family.
People with weak constitutions who easily develop pharyngitis or pneumonia from coughs.

Unsuitable Groups

(Best to consult a professional to determine if you are suitable)

People allergic to vaccine carrier chemicals or solvents. (You can consult doctors, nurses, Vaccine Information Sheets (VIS), and the vaccine manufacturer’s instructions). Common ones include:
- Chemical Adjuvants: Many traditional adjuvants are small chemical compounds, such as:
  - Aluminum Salts: One of the most commonly used adjuvants in vaccines, like aluminum hydroxide or aluminum phosphate. They enhance the immune response by forming antigen depots and stimulating the immune system.
  - Water-in-Oil Emulsions: Small water droplets in an oil base used in some vaccines to enhance the immune response.
- Biological Macromolecules: Some newer adjuvants are larger biological molecules, such as:
  - Liposomes: Spherical vesicles made of cholesterol and phospholipids that can carry antigens and other immune-stimulating substances.
  - Polysaccharides: Some sugars or carbohydrates used as adjuvants to enhance the immune response.
  - MPL (Monophosphoryl Lipid A): A detoxified derivative of lipopolysaccharide from bacterial cell walls used to stimulate the immune system.
People allergic to eggs🥚, as the virus for inactivated vaccines is generally grown in eggs.
Immunocompromised individuals, organ transplant recipients, or those on immunosuppressive drugs💊 should consult their doctors as they may have more specific vaccine options.

Why should I get dead viruses injected into my arm? It doesn’t sound safe…

Currently, mRNA vaccine technology has not been widely used for flu vaccines (except for COVID-19 vaccines) so flu vaccines still use dead viruses🦠 or parts of the virus (antigen proteins that cause an immune response).

Generating Antibodies: The flu vaccine will prompt your immune system to produce antibodies against the flu virus. When you encounter the virus later, these antibodies will protect you from getting sick.

Safe and Effective: Flu vaccines, like all vaccines, undergo rigorous safety and efficacy testing. The immune response they induce is controlled and does not harm your healthy immune system.

No Overburdening: Your immune system can handle multiple challenges simultaneously. The response to the vaccine is only a small part of what your immune system manages daily.

Boosting Overall Immune Function: Although the flu vaccine specifically targets the flu virus, the process of activating and producing antibodies can generally enhance the immune system. This is the immune system’s ability to adapt and respond to viral antigens.

(Shican Claire’s Original image)

Does generating antibodies consume extra nutrients from me? I live a fast paced life, already stressed, sleep-deprived, and with no time to eat properly🍽️, is it an additional burden to generate antibodies?

Energy Consumption of Immune Response: While generating antibodies does require resources like protein, nutrients, and energy, the resources needed for a vaccine-induced immune response are relatively small compared to fighting a full-blown viral infection.

Those in Suboptimal Health Need Vaccines More: The flu places a heavy burden on the body, especially for those already tired, malnourished, or sleep-deprived. Vaccination can significantly reduce the risk of severe illness, which is crucial for those with health issues.

How Antibodies Protect You: Antibodies are the heroes of the immune system in fighting viral infections. They prevent or mitigate viral infections in several ways, such as:

Neutralizing Viruses: Antibodies bind to viral proteins, preventing the virus from entering human cells, like locking the key outside the door.
Agglutinating Viruses: Antibodies can bind to multiple virus particles simultaneously, causing them to cluster together, making it easier for immune cells to find and destroy them.
Phagocytosing Viruses: Antibodies can coat viruses, marking them for phagocytes to engulf and destroy.
Blocking Viral Entry into Cells: Antibodies bind to viruses, preventing them from attaching to human cell receptors, thus stopping the infection.
Stimulating Immune Response: Antibody binding can stimulate other parts of the immune system to more actively attack infected cells.

Do the Chemicals in Vaccines Accumulate in Your Body? Is it safe to get vaccinated every year?

This concern is understandable, but there are a few things to know:

The adjuvants or carriers used in vaccines are present in very small amounts. They also undergo testing and monitoring by health authorities such as the FDA to ensure their safety.

Your body has mechanisms to clear foreign substances, such as the liver and kidneys, which play crucial roles in filtering and eliminating unwanted substances.

Vaccines may contain other additives, such as stabilizers, preservatives, and adjuvants, but these are included in safe, tested amounts and typically do not accumulate in the body.

If you have concerns about vaccine ingredients, talking to a doctor is always a good idea. They can provide information related to vaccine formulations and your health needs.

Both the flu shot can make your arm sore for a few days just like the actual flu, why bother?

The flu virus is alive when you get infected! It can replicate and attack your healthy cells.

Actual Infection

Full Virus Exposure: During an actual flu infection, your body is exposed to the complete live virus, not just specific antigens. Broader Immune Response: The immune response is broader and more intense because the body has to fight an active, replicating virus. Innate Immune System: Post-infection immunity can be strong, but the variability of the flu virus means this immunity may not fully protect against different strains in subsequent years. Disease Risk: Actual infection carries the risk of symptoms and complications, which can range from mild to severe, including secondary infections like pneumonia.

Flu discomfort🤧 lasts longer and affects more significantly

Immune responses triggered by both vaccines and live viruses🦠:

Fever, Fatigue, Muscle Aches: Cytokine Release: During viral infections, immune cells release signaling proteins called cytokines, which help fight the infection. However, these cytokines also cause symptoms associated with illness, such as fever, fatigue, and muscle aches.
Local Inflammation: The immune response includes inflammation, a protective reaction that helps isolate and clear the virus. However, inflammation can also cause symptoms like redness, swelling, and pain.

Discomfort Specific to Live Virus Infections🦠:

Viral Replication and Tissue Damage: During replication, viruses damage body cells. They invade cells and use their mechanisms to produce more virus particles, often killing the cells in the process. This cell death and tissue damage contribute to disease symptoms.
Immune System Overreaction: Sometimes, the immune system’s response to the virus can be excessive, causing more severe symptoms. This overreaction can lead to more significant inflammation and tissue damage.
Fever: Fever is a common response to viral infections, triggered by the release of cytokines and other substances. While fever helps combat infection, it also makes you feel uncomfortable.
Secondary Effects: The body’s fight against the virus can lead to secondary effects like dehydration, which can worsen the feeling of illness.

(Shican Claire’s Original Photo)

After Vaccination

Controlled Immune Response: Vaccines stimulate a controlled immune response without causing disease. This means your body learns to recognize and fight the virus without getting sick.

(Shican Claire’s Original Photo)

In summary, while the immune response is part of the body’s defense mechanism, it also contributes to the feeling of being sick.

(Shican Claire’s Original Photo)

How Vaccines Work: (For those interested in a deeper understanding)

The Adaptive Immune System (targeted by flu vaccines) and the Innate Immune System work together:

(Shican Claire’s Original Photo)

Adaptive Immune System (The Target of Flu Vaccines):

Antigen Recognition and Memory Cell Formation: Vaccines introduce antigens (inactive virus particles or fragments) that are recognized by B cells and T cells in the adaptive immune system. This recognition leads to the production of specific antibodies and the formation of memory cells for long-term immunity.

Innate Immune System:

Initial Response: The innate immune system is the body’s first line of defense and responds to vaccines like any foreign substance.
Activation and Support: Components of the innate immune system, such as dendritic cells and macrophages, present vaccine antigens to the adaptive immune system. This process is crucial for initiating the adaptive response.
Adjuvants: Aim to enhance the immune response. They can activate the innate immune system and boost the overall immune response to the vaccine.

In summary, the combined involvement of both systems ensures a stronger and more effective response to the vaccine, developing immunity to the flu virus.**

How do the two immune systems work together?

“Receive and Hand Over”: The innate immune system presents antigens to the adaptive immune system. This process involves antigen-presenting cells (APCs) like dendritic cells and macrophages.
“Engulf”: APCs capture antigens from pathogens or vaccines through processes like phagocytosis or endocytosis.
“Digest”: After capturing antigens, APCs break them down into smaller fragments called epitopes.
“Tag and Transport”: After encountering an antigen, dendritic cells mature and migrate to lymph nodes, a process crucial for initiating the adaptive immune response.
“Identification Code”: Processed antigen fragments are presented on the APCs’ surface, bound to molecules called MHC (major histocompatibility complex). These MHC-antigen complexes are critical for T cell recognition. In the lymph nodes, T cells of the adaptive immune system recognize these MHC-antigen complexes. Two types of T cells are involved:
“Helpers”: Helper T cells (CD4+ T cells) recognize antigens presented by MHC class II molecules, leading to their activation and proliferation. They then help activate B cells and other T cells.

Cytotoxic T cells (CD8+ T cells) recognize antigens presented by MHC class I molecules. Once activated, they can directly kill infected cells.

“B Cell Activation and Antibody Production”: Helper T cells assist in activating B cells. Upon recognizing antigens and receiving help from T cells, B cells differentiate into plasma cells that produce specific antibodies against the antigen.

Summary

I hope this article helps clear up some doubts about vaccines. For those interested in learning more about the immune system, I hope this serves as a good starting point!

References:

(Stephen M. Stahl et al, 2004) doi: 10.4088/pcc.v06n0403.

(Khushboo et al, 2017) doi: 10.15406/jabb.2017.03.00082.

Tags: Flu Vaccine Health COVID Vaccination