When is an influenza vaccine helpful?

According to the Standing Vaccination Committee of the Robert Koch Institute, people over 60 and pregnant women should be vaccinated, especially those with chronic diseases. These populations are at increased risk for the disease to have serious consequences. The vaccine can also vaccinate infants and young children from six months of age. The recommendation for vaccination also applies to doctors, nurses and caregivers, as the number of close contacts with patients increases the risk of infection. In addition, medical staff may transmit the influenza virus to patients. The vaccine is also recommended for people who come into contact with many people in the course of their work. These include, for example, teachers, kindergarten teachers or salesmen. However, some doctors and health insurers also recommend the flu vaccine to everyone else.

Vaccinated people are better protected this year than in previous years. The reason: the permanent vaccination committee recommends tetravalent influenza vaccines instead of the previously used trivalent vaccines. "Tetravalent" means that the antigens are vaccinated against four variants of the virus. Until last season, only the triple vaccine was recommended, so that only three of the four groups of viruses were functioning. It could therefore be infections by pathogens of the excluded group, against which there was no vaccine protection. Almost all health insurances pay from this year, the quadruple vaccine. But there are some exceptions. Therefore, you should talk to your doctor or health insurance first.

The viruses in the vaccine stimulate our immune system to produce antibodies. It takes about two weeks. In case of contact with the flu, the newly produced antibodies fight the hostile virus and extinguish it.

Even latecomers can still be vaccinated if the vaccine wave is already endemic. Even those who have had the flu can still vaccinate, as Dr Ingrid Möller from the Leipzig Health Department explains: "You can catch all kinds of viruses, so it makes perfect sense to get vaccinated even after a flu, you are protected against the other three types of viruses. "

The vaccine usually protects during the flu season. However, you must get vaccinated every year. Because influenza viruses can change easily, the vaccine is adapted every year to current influenza virus variants.

A mild infection with a fever below 38.5 ° C does not speak against a flu shot. Our defense system is designed to handle multiple "tasks" simultaneously. The vaccine should only be given in cases of severe and acute illness.

Protein allergy sufferers must first consult a doctor because the vaccine is largely composed of proteins. "But all the allergies to chicken egg white do not speak of a flu shot," says Ingrid Möller from the Leipzig Health Department.

The influenza vaccine does not provide 100% protection. This can have different reasons. On the one hand, it is possible that one is infected shortly before or after vaccination. In these cases, no vaccine protection would be available or vaccine protection would not be fully developed. "This means that if you get vaccinated today, but at the same time that you are infected with a patient, you can get sick because the vaccine is not yet effective," said Möller.

On the other hand, another strain of virus could trigger the flu, against which another has not been vaccinated. The reason: to produce the current vaccine, the WHO already determines several months in advance which viruses are likely to dominate Germany during the influenza season. In contrast, a vaccine is then produced. This process takes several months. That these viruses actually happen here and that the predictions about the composition of the vaccine are accurate, it only appears when the vaccine has already been produced and used.

The flu vaccine should prevent the real flu or reduce the course. Influenza vaccine does not protect against harmless infections such as colds or so-called flu-like infections.

Even those who have not been vaccinated can still catch up. After vaccination, the body takes about 10 to 14 days to protect enough against the infection. A vaccine is always recommended even if the vaccination wave has already reached its peak. Even those who were already sick can still be vaccinated, because later on he will still be able to contract another viral strain. New this year: the Standing Committee on Immunization has recommended the quadruple vaccine against four subtypes of influenza viruses. In recent decades, the free vaccine for the general population was limited to three types of viruses.

It is never clear whether the vaccine actually works: in the spring of each year, the influenza vaccine is set for the coming season, as vaccine production takes several months. In general, a true flu with vaccination is much lower than without vaccination.

Influenza vaccination should be done every year as the pathogens change at an annual rate.