How does the flu vaccine work?
Prevention is better than cure! The flu vaccine will reduce the risk of catching flu
and spreading it to other people. It’s more effective if the individual gets their vaccine before the start of the flu season which typically runs from September through to March.
It’s important to have the vaccine every year as the various strains of the flu virus will change each year. People assume they are protected as they had the vaccine the year before but this is not the case.
So how does the vaccine actually work in the body?
- The flu vaccine will stimulate the body’s immune system to start producing antibodies designed to fight off the virus in the body.
- If anyone is exposed to the flu virus after having their vaccination, their immune system will recognise the virus and produce antibodies to fight it off quicker.
- It can take a person from 10-14 days for the immunity to fully build up after having their vaccination.