I was listening on the radio this morning to a fellow who was refuting the utility of receiving the influenza vaccine. According to the host of the program, this gentleman’s opinion has some reach as a public figure, but unfortunately his arguments were poorly formulated, and in mostly inaccurate. I will admit that I am prejudice by my experience in my post-doctoral career in a renowned human infectious disease research center (studying influenza); so with that said, I would like to make a simple analogy which might better explain to those who were not in the lab with me to understand why receiving an influenza vaccine is a good idea.
Imagine that you are told that you have to play a game of baseball, with the outcome of the game possibly affecting whether you live or die. Now, maybe you have played soccer, volleyball, horseshoes, chess, or even kickball or stickball (very similar to baseball, but played differently in different areas). Would you rather just grab a bunch of people for your team who have similar experience in these other games, or would you choose players who are well versed in baseball? Second, would you choose just one person who was well versed at baseball and the rest without experience, or would you rather have as many as possible experienced with baseball? Third, would you rather have people that have played baseball recently, or just played baseball a long time ago in little league? Fourth, would you rather have people who are really excited about playing, or people who come to the game kicking and screaming? Fifth, would you rather have a team that consists of two members vs. a full opposing team, or would you rather have a full team? Sixth, would you rather have other teams surrounding you to play that opposing team, so that you did not risk having to play for your life, or would you rather be surrounded by opposing team, all looking to play you?
Let me address these points now…these are not the only points, but some that come off the top of my head:
1) If you get the vaccine, you are getting ‘players’ who are experienced in the virus. Yes, the virus changes, but there are certain parts of the virus which are critical to function, and remain the same. These are the ones which are used in the vaccines. In addition, when you get the vaccine, you develop a complex mixture of responses, not just a single ‘player’. When you have a ‘player’ who even knows a little about the virus when rechallenged, you will be able to mount a better/faster response, and hopefully not experience as severe a sickness.
2) As mentioned in #1, you get a compliment of ‘players’ who can respond to the infection. Yes, everyone is different, and mounts a ‘different’ response. The difference is in their specific immune cells…but this starts to get into something that takes MUCH longer to discuss than I have space for here. In addition, when you get the vaccine, it increases the numbers of the ‘players’ who are experienced with the virus (as they replicate and expand when they see bits of the ‘opposing team vaccine’). This leaves you with a whole bunch of players ready to play.
3) See the end of the last point. If you have had a vaccine recently, those immune cells are primed to replicate quickly and efficiently, and communicate to the rest of the immune system to fight this thing that it just saw recently.
4) This is an extension of the last point. Recently proliferated cells (as a result of a vaccine) will be ready to take off and fight the infecting virus, more so than cells which were proliferating a long time ago. Now, one question might be asked ‘what is a long time ago’; and this would be a good question…unfortunately, I don’t have a good answer to this question.
5) This point is again an extension of the recently proliferating cells, if cells were recently proliferating, there will be more around to respond quickly to the virus when it comes again, so you wont even notice that you are experiencing it…remember, after you get sick, it is not that the virus no longer goes after you, it is that you have built up a wall to prevent it from proliferating in your body. You develop a quick responding army which quickly and easily recognizes the enemy. If the enemy camouflages itself again, it will take you body another lag to respond to the invader.
6) This final point that I will make has to do with widespread vaccination. If everyone is vaccinated; which will lead to most people not getting sick, or only getting mildly sick, then the virus will not be able to travel to your park. Its bus will be broken down. The most assured way to win a game is to make sure that the opposing team does not make it there!
Ok, this analogy is not perfect, but I think that it may clarify why a vaccine is a good idea. I do have some idea what I am talking about, as I have dealt with these things for years, on a personal basis, as well as a professional basis. I would love to hear comments from those who know through experience, or those who think they know through reasoning and antidotal evidence and can make a good argument. I am very willing and happy to learn something new.
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