How often should flu and COVID vaccines be given?

How often should flu and COVID vaccines be given?

• A. yearly
• B. monthly
• C. every 2 years
• D. once in a lifetime

Answer: (A)

Protection from flu and COVID vaccines is refreshed regularly because both the viruses and our immunity change over time. The flu changes its surface proteins almost every year, so the vaccine is updated annually to target the currently circulating strains. For COVID, immunity can wane and new variants can emerge, leading health authorities to promote updated boosters on a yearly basis to maintain protection against prevalent strains. That’s why yearly vaccination is the best fit. Monthly would be unnecessary and impractical, vaccination every two years would leave gaps in protection, and once in a lifetime ignores both waning immunity and evolving variants.

Protection from flu and COVID vaccines is refreshed regularly because both the viruses and our immunity change over time. The flu changes its surface proteins almost every year, so the vaccine is updated annually to target the currently circulating strains. For COVID, immunity can wane and new variants can emerge, leading health authorities to promote updated boosters on a yearly basis to maintain protection against prevalent strains.

That’s why yearly vaccination is the best fit. Monthly would be unnecessary and impractical, vaccination every two years would leave gaps in protection, and once in a lifetime ignores both waning immunity and evolving variants.