It’s flu season once again in BC. The BC Centre for Disease Control said “the early rise in cases is predominantly being driven by this year’s flu strain — H1N1 or influenza A — which is known to peak earlier and cause more severe illness,” according to CBC News. Appointments for flu and COVID-19 vaccines became available on October 13. Respiratory syncytial virus vaccines are also available for people who are 75 and older, long-term care and assisted-living residents, and Indigenous Peoples who are 60 and older.
Typical flu symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, head and muscle aches, fatigue, and sometimes nausea. HealthLinkBC advises one to seek medical care if they have the flu and experience severe symptoms, including breathing difficulties, chest pain, and dehydration. Flu viruses can lead to complications like worsening of chronic conditions. Further, though COVID-19 is caused by a coronavirus, it is distinctive from seasonal coronaviruses.
Potential modes of transmission for H1N1 include inhaling infectious particles released into the air from an infected person after they cough, sneeze, breathe, or talk. Infectious particles can also enter your body if you touch your eyes, nose, or mouth after touching a contaminated surface.
The Peak reached out to Dr. Ralph Pantophlet, a health science professor who studies infectious diseases and vaccine design, for a statement on the importance of immunization.
Flu strains change every year due to antigenic drift or shift. Antigenic drift is a gradual process in which the genes encoding virus surface proteins mutate. In antigenic shift, two distinct viruses infect a host and exchange gene segments, producing a new virus. Dr. Pantophlet explained that “because influenza viruses continually evolve, particularly in the surface proteins targeted by antibodies, and because immunity can diminish over time, protection from prior infections or vaccinations may be insufficient against strains circulating in a new season.” As a result, “influenza vaccines are updated and annual vaccination is recommended.”
Traditional vaccines introduce a non-infectious or weakened version of a virus to your immune system. The BCCDC clarifies, “this can be a dead or weakened germ, or only parts of the germ called antigens.” mRNA vaccines, such as those administered for COVID-19, deliver genetic instructions that tell your body how to make specific antigens.
Vaccine-delivered antigens are taken up by antigen-presenting cells, which then present the antigens on its surface. In mRNA vaccination, antigen-presenting cells first take up the genetic instructions for making an antigen. After producing the protein, cells display the antigens on their surfaces. In both cases, an immune response is triggered. T cells are activated and either destroy or recruit other immune cells to attack antigen-presenting cells. They activate B cells which produce antibodies that bind and destroy these antigens. Some of these cells differentiate into memory cells which recognize antigens on active viruses to efficiently eliminate the threat.
According to Dr. Pantophlet, “Getting vaccinated early in the influenza season is preferable to waiting until the virus is already circulating widely.” The Government of Canada explains that “for many active immunizing agents, a protective immune response is typically achieved within a few weeks of vaccination.”
Even for otherwise healthy young adults, vaccination is worthwhile, both for their own protection and to help reduce the spread of influenza to others who may be more vulnerable.”
— Dr. Pantophlet, Professor in SFU’s Department of Health Sciences
While vaccines can’t completely prevent the flu, they lower the chances of infection and the risk of associated complications. “Even for otherwise healthy young adults, vaccination is worthwhile, both for their own protection and to help reduce the spread of influenza to others who may be more vulnerable,” Dr. Pantophlet shares. In addition to vaccinations and other preventative measures, wearing a mask also helps prevent the spread of respiratory illnesses.
For on-campus vaccinations, drop by the Student Union Building today from 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. You can also ask your local pharmacy about vaccine availability, or book your free vaccine appointment through the Get Vaccinated System.
Consult your doctor about getting vaccinated.
