(I’m not sure if this belongs in GQ or IMHO – my feeling is that I’m not so much asking for medical advice as for medical research, but if mods think it goes the other way around, then I understand that too. Thanks!)
My daughter got the flu shot for the first time yesterday. When they gave the shot to her, they informed me that when a kid gets a flu shot for the first time, it’s good to get two shots that year to really get her system primed for it, and that getting two flu shots this year would have long-term health benefits.
Google tells me that this is standard for first-time pediatric patients, but I wasn’t able to find any research on why there are long-term health benefits from doing this. Why does it give long-term health benefits?
If it’s a short-term this-year benefit, heck, that’s fine too, and I’d love to know why that is.
(For the record, I have no problem with immunizations or with taking her again to get another flu shot. I’d just like to know why. Especially if we have to wait for an hour in the flu clinic line again )
The same basic principle is true for most vaccines: an initial exposure primes for astronger response to additional exposures. The same reason there is the initial series of three DTaPs (or Pentacels) to get to protective levels and then boosters later on. Once primed additional exposures can work better.
My understanding is that nine years of age and older individuals are assumed to have been primed already by natural exposures.
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