How Does the Influenza Vaccine Work in the Body?

Flu season comes around every year.  The past few years have seen low numbers of flu cases due to lockdown and other COVID measures which have, in turn, dramatically decreased the spread of the flu.  As a result, population immunity will have waned and the need for flu vaccination is now exponentially increased.

What is the flu shot?
According to the NHS, the flu shot is a safe and effective vaccine, which is offered every year to help people at risk of getting seriously ill from the flu.  Whilst it does not make you immune from the flu entirely, it assists with decreasing the length of a bout of flu, as well as decreasing the risk of hospitalisation or even death from the flu virus.

How does the flu shot work?
Each year, scientists identify the three or four most prominent strains of the flu.  Then deactivated versions of the virus are made into vaccinations that are then injectected into your body through a needle and syringe.  The deactivated virus then triggers your body’s immune system to recognize the protein or antigen on the surface of the virus.  This then triggers your immune system to develop the immune reaction that will fight the flu, so if you get it, your body has already built the immune system army to fight it, and the few days it usually takes to build those antibodies are eliminated.  Those few days can be the difference between severe illness and not.

Will I get sick after the flu shot?
The short answer is no. However, you may feel a bit rough whilst your body establishes an immune reaction in response to the vaccine.  Be assured that this is not you becoming ill with the flu, rather, your body establishing a defence against the flu virus as a result of having received the vaccine

What if I get the flu virus again?
If you get the flu virus after you are vaccinated against it, the likelihood that you will become seriously ill, require hospitalisation or die is greatly reduced because you have had the vaccine.  However, it is important to know that the main variants of the flu virus change each season, so it is important to receive your vaccine annually each season as scientists adjust it each year pursuant to the main variants that season.