Why do health care workers need annual flu vaccination?

[Raghav Gupta]

Homework Statement

The health care workers involved in taking care of patients affected by diseases like influenza have to be vaccinated annually. Is the above statement true? Give reason for your answer.

Homework Equations

Not applicable here I think so.

The Attempt at a Solution

Why they should be they vaccinated by the way. By handshaking can the virus infect other one or can it travel from air through nose into someone's else body?
One time vaccination produces antibodies to fight a particular virus or bacteria or fungi. Then what is case with this influenza?

 

[Ygggdrasil]

You should be able to find the answer to this question by looking up basic information about the influenza vaccine (for example, on google). If you do some reading, and come up with an answer, you can post it here and we'll say whether you're on the right track or not.

 

[Raghav Gupta]

Okay,
Influenza virus can mutate rapidly since it has a RNA strand as a genetic material. Since RNA has no proofreading mechanism like DNA, the virus can have variations and vaccination( new type) is necessary annualy for producing new antibodies to fight these new kind of antigens.

 

[Ygggdrasil]

Okay,
Influenza virus can mutate rapidly since it has a RNA strand as a genetic material. Since RNA has no proofreading mechanism like DNA, the virus can have variations and vaccination( new type) is necessary annualy for producing new antibodies to fight these new kind of antigens.

Yes, that is correct.

 

[Raghav Gupta]

Yes, that is correct.

Can this be the answer for this also- https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/immune-system-non-responsive-case.842195/ ?

 

[Ygggdrasil]

I'm not sure I know the answer to that question or if the answer here applies. Allergy is different than immunity in that exposure to allergens can make subsequent exposures worse, not better.