How often should you get a flu shot? - Melvin Sanicas

Why do we need flu shots every year? Dig into the science of flu viruses and what makes them different from other diseases.

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All year long, researchers at hospitals around the world collect samples from flu patients and send them to top virology experts with one goal: to design the vaccine for the next flu season. But why do we need a new one every year? Vaccines for diseases like mumps and rubella offer a lifetime of protection with two shots early in life; what’s so special about the flu? Melvin Sanicas explains.

Lesson by Melvin Sanicas, directed by Andrew Foerster.

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Thank you so much to our patrons for your support! Without you this video would not be possible! Rui Rizzi, Clair Chen, Joe Giamartino, Filip Dabrowski, Barbara Smalley, Megan Douglas, Justus Berberich, Duo Xu, Ghassan Alhazzaa, Yankai Liu, Pavel Zalevskiy, André Spencer, Claudia Mayfield, Kerstin M. Quinto, Ivan Tsenov, Ruby Solorzano, Narat Suchartsunthorn, Barun Padhy, Dale Dualan, Simone Kidner, Shawn Quichocho, Gi Nam Lee, Joy Love Om, Tony Trapuzzano, Devin Harris.

[Jay-lzwc]

There was a little bird, her name was ENZA. I opened the window, and IN-FLU-ENZA

[Beelzebeag]

Doctors: get your flu shot every year

Me, who hasn't had it in 10 years: 👁️_👁️

[wcf]

I love the animation style here - it's simple yet looks amazing :)

[HailTheGamerz]

I just keep my blood alcohol level at .23, no virus is living through that.

[nicknovb]

I got a flu shot a few months ago and vomited 3 minutes after. Dizziness and shivering followed. Not saying it doesnt help but some people might react wrongly and some just dont need it.

[Ajax-]

I take the best "flu shot"
Being anti-social

[ContinualImprovement]

Wait, we need to get one every year? Maybe that’s why I don’t feel well at Christmas.

[thalespro]

60% - flu shots
39% - vodka shots
Me - bullet shots

[brianalvarez]

I've never gotten a flue shot all 17 years of my life and I've never gotten the flue

[AaronShenghao]

I can relate to this. I got the flu shot in October, then one girl in our class was super sick and i was one of the four sitting around her. Three of us got sit but my symptoms were gone in 3 days. Other two wasn't so lucky and sick for at lest a week.

[GyanAddict]

Loved the 8bit animation, and as always, amazingly informative.

[spookyscaryskeletonsmith]

I haven’t gotten one for 3 years and never caught flu

[usedtoberyanpoopnownormal]

Christian anti vaxxers: VACCINES ARE AGAINST GOD






God who gave us the knowledge for vaccines: Noah, GET THE BOAT

[DoctaJT]

Slight correction in regards to how the flu exit an infected cell. They do not “burst” open a cell. Instead, they incorporate themselves within the bilayer of the host cell membrane. From there, they exit the cell by a process called “budding”. This allows the virus to possess the necessary proteins on its capsid (Hemagglutinin & Neurominidase) that are used to infect new cells. It’s essentially like a wolf in sheep skin. It’s hypothesized that neurominidase is a protein used for glucose absorption into the cell. So when the virus exploits such a protein, the cell welcomes it into its membrane believing the virus is glucose. And because everyone expresses slightly altered forms of these proteins, the virus is ever so slightly different from the original one that infected the cell it originated from. A process known as antigenic drift. This process of budding is what drugs like Relenza and Amantidine target to prevent further replication. It prevents the virus from budding thus reducing the viral load. However, a similar phenomenon known as antigenic shift also occurs seldomly. This is where the virus genetic variation becomes substantially altered and can contain new genes that allow the virus to cross species. These particular strains are important because their virulence and pathogenicity are greatly increased and allow it spread much more rapidly.

[Ryan]

I learned this in school, but the way ted talks explains it, makes it interesting

[ed-edd-n-eddy]

I honestly don't know how we are a super power with a population that is this scientifically illiterate.

[doodlegoose]

40 years old, never had a flu shot. Been sick half a dozen times in my life

[bobbyferg]

Usually I think of the TED Ed comment sections as being a place with logical and tame people, but when I start to see so many conspiracy theorists, I start to have my doubts.

[usedtoberyanpoopnownormal]

I get flu shots every year I’m still alive >:)

[erdvilla]

My mom always takes the shot every year, because she is in the at-risk group of elder people. I am not in any risk group, but at the Hospital they always give me the shot as well because I am her main caretaker, so I am the first line of defense as I take care of all errands outside house.