After a rough year for flu outbreak combined with the coronavirus scare, many people are wondering if an immunization shot can be developed for these viruses.
In some cases, yes. In others, it is more difficult.
One problem is mutation. Mutation occurs when there is a change in the genetic makeup of a virus and a new strain of the virus comes into being.
The flu virus, unlike some viruses, mutates rapidly, so there are thousands of different strains. Stanford Medicine explains it this way: "If the virus that causes flu were an ice cream cone, then the yearly vaccine teaches the immune system to recognize just the flavor, chocolate one year, strawberry the next. As the virus changes each year, so too must the vaccine." But, there is always hope. Stanford is researching a vaccine that would recognize the characteristics common to all flu viruses.
Another problem is novelty. The Covid-19 virus (originating in Wuhan, China) hasn't been seen before. It is part of a family of viruses that can cause fever, cough, and shortness of breath, according to the Centers for Disease Control. A patient with Covid-19 can go on to develop pneumonia, which severely complicates the illness and can cause death. But, not everyone gets very sick with Covid-19. According to the CDC, " … reported illnesses have ranged from mild symptoms to severe illness and death." Underlying health issues have a lot to do with how sick the virus makes a patient. Researchers are looking into a vaccine, although it is not known how often, if at all, this virus mutates.
There is a vaccine for chickenpox, by contrast. The virus varicella-zoster is not known to mutate much, if at all. There are 'wild' strains of chicken pox, but they have not been dominant, so the vaccine continues to be highly effective.
