Preliminary research This month can provide you A little more incentive to get the flu vaccine. It found evidence that flu vaccinations reduced the risk of covid-19 among health care workers in the Netherlands. Although not conclusive, studies suggest that a particular vaccine may not be the first to suggest negligible and vague protection against infectious diseases not targeted by a vaccine, possibly including ov covid-19.
Was a research paper Published Scientists from the Netherlands and Germany on the preprint website Madrexiv in mid-October. In it, they detailed two separate investigations into the theory that the flu vaccine was used in the Netherlands last winter – a dormant vaccine, to protect against the four main strains of influenza. May reduce the risk of circulating virus – Covid-19. In many countries, including the USS., The flu vaccine is used on an annual basis.
The basic idea is that some vaccines can not only train parts of the immune system, which means identifying a specific microbe – known as an adaptive immune system, but they can also temporarily increase the effectiveness of our innate immune system. The innate immune system uses a wide range of weapons to eliminate all types of invasive microbes, making it the body’s first line of defense against unfamiliar microbial hazards. It is believed that a vaccine can briefly alert the innate immune system and prepare to prevent further microorganisms that cross its path. Scientists call this theoretical boost “Trained immunity”
In the laboratory, researchers found that human immune cells exposed to the flu vaccine developed a trained immune response to the coronavirus behind Covid-19 compared to the control group of cells. In Dutch hospitals, they found that hospital staff who were vaccinated against the flu last winter had a lower risk of being diagnosed with Covid-19 than non-vaccinated employees.
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“In conclusion, the quadruple inactivated influenza vaccine may induce trained immune responses against SARS-Cov-2, resulting in relative protection against Covid-19,” they wrote.
The results are yet to pass The peer review process, i.e. they should be viewed with some extra caution. And although the authors of this study provide two pieces of evidence for their conclusions, they are not There is clear evidence that the flu will vaccinate Covid-19 will protect you. Other possible explanations for why Dutch hospital staff taking flu shots may be few Chances are Covid-19, for example. It may be that these workers are more cautious about catching an infectious disease – a personality trait that will force them both to get vaccinated for the flu and avoid it. Conditions where Covid-19 is great for spreading.
This is not The first study To find evidence that an existing vaccine can significantly protect people from Covid-19. But not all data is encouraging, And some experts remain Suspicious Principle. A study published in JAMA this May, for example, Found There is no evidence that people in Israel who took the BCG vaccine, which is used to prevent tuberculosis, are less likely to contract Covid-19 as adults in their 30s and 40s as children. It is possible that the trained immune effect created by the BCG vaccine may still exist, not only for that long, but it should be a reminder that the findings are not a sure thing.. If the trained immune system is the same, it will not provide complete protection from the epidemic.
Is there Ongoing medical tests Testing to see if the BCG vaccine and others can provide short-term protection from the Covid-19-trial, which will hopefully give us a clear answer one way or another. In the meantime, the flu vaccine is already one The most helpful things You can do it for yourself And this winter in your community. If it turns out that it also reduces the risk of Covid-19, the better.
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