We have COVID, influenza, and other shots because we believe they will make us immune from specific diseases. And we hope this protection lasts forever, although we don’t know how long that ‘forever’ will be. We share how immune memory counters infection in non-technical terms. Now that many of us had our vaccines, and want to know how they work.
Unpacking the Basics of Immunological Memory
An antigen is a molecular structure that attaches to the outside of a virus or pathogen, and positively identifies its type. Immunological memory describes our immune system’s ability to quickly identify a specific antigen, and initiate a suitable immune response.
However, it needs to have previously encountered the same type of antigen for this to be possible. But if it has not, then it launches a general primary immune response which is the initial learning curve. If the host survives the attack, then it stores knowledge gained in its memory B cells.
How Vaccines Train Immune Memory to Counter Infection
A vaccine plants a substance in a host that pretends to be the antigen of interest, although it is a ‘hollow imitation’. But it does contain the code the host needs in order to generate a suitable immune response. This includes storing the information in memory B cells, ready and primed to respond if the real antigen threatens.
Our scientists don’t fully understand why this immune memory is temporary, and does not counter infection forever. However, Centers for Disease Control assures our experts are working hard to learn more about natural, and vaccine–induced immunity.
We may need to have vaccine booster shots say annually perhaps, until they reach that point. We will only know whether the benefit lasts, for say two years, when sufficient people have had the vaccine. And have not fallen seriously ill with the infection by the time we reach that point in time.
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Preview Image: Immune Responses by mRNA Vaccines
