Why do so few people get all the COVID boosters? How does frequent vaccination affect B to T cell, neutrophil to lymphocyte, and CD8 to CD4 ratio?

[Alex K Chen]

Do you plan on getting all the COVID boosters

Especially given https://www.rapamycin.news/t/repeated-doses-of-bcg-vaccine-reduces-risk-of-alzheimer-s-and-all-cause-mortality/8745/13

And that there seem to be only positive effects from yearly flu shots (and as it turns out, OTHER vaccination shots).

Even I'm borderline concerned about "too many COVID vaccinations" due to "antigenic load" or theorized "immune exhaustion", which is making me hesitant, but I live with an elderly person and still like to brag about never getting COVID + never feel unpleasantness from vaccines so I'll do it.

A COVID vaccine IS more physically and immunologically taxing than a flu vaccine, though I've never felt much discomfort from COVID vaccines.

> <i>A close relationship between [B-cell](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B_cell):[T-cell](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T_cell) ratio and immunosenescence was detected, as B-cell:T-cell ratio was much higher in mouse than long-lived mammals and significantly increased during aging. Importantly, we identified several iron-related genes that could resist immunosenescence changes, especially the iron chaperon, [PCBP1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PCBP1), which was upregulated in long-lived mammals but dramatically downregulated during aging in all splenic immune cell types. Supportively, immune cells of mouse spleens contained more free iron than those of bat spleens, suggesting higher level of [reactive oxygen species (ROS)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reactive_oxygen_species)-induced damage in mouse.</i>

Edited October 3, 2023 by InquilineKea

[IgorF]

10 hours ago, InquilineKea said:

And that there seem to be only positive effects from yearly flu shots

that seems not true. While the so called "original antigenic sin" effect is not so dramatic with flu like with the most widely known for denge (which prevents vaccine construction for decades) there are papers describing it for flu also https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5748348/

https://journals.aai.org/jimmunol/article/202/2/335/107289/Original-Antigenic-Sin-How-First-Exposure-Shapes

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2445146022000103

From all the stuff I read I concluded that for flu the risk for imprinting inefficient antibodies  due to vaccination is low and I am doing the vaccinations when available but rather for social reasons or when I am planning to travel during the flu timewindows. I also recommend my parents to do them despite of low efficiency of such vaccinations at all and with aging, the same reason - risk/benefits balance - they are both low/very low.

Br,

Igor

[Florin]

21 hours ago, InquilineKea said:

Even I'm borderline concerned about "too many COVID vaccinations" due to "antigenic load" or theorized "immune exhaustion", which is making me hesitant, but I live with an elderly person and still like to brag about never getting COVID + never feel unpleasantness from vaccines so I'll do it.

Boosters can reduce transmission, but the risk of transmission remains significant. If you want almost zero risk, you might want to consider using a reusable respirator.

https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2022/12/424546/covid-19-vaccines-prior-infection-reduce-transmission-omicron

[TomBAvoider]

I get the covid vacs as soon as available. Just got the latest last Saturday (Moderna). Never used to get the flu vac, but did this year, same time as the covid one. I never had any reaction to the covid vacs (except mild arm soreness for 24 hours), but this time I was slightly shivery the first night, I figured perhaps due to the simultaneous flu shot. 

I'm not worried in the slightest, and pay no attention to the conspiracy theories. The biggest reason I get the vac is that while the odds of serious covid illness or death are very remote, from everything I read it seems a very nasty virus, and the vac seems to cut down on the odds of LONG COVID which is my main worry.

Knock on wood I have not had covid that know of - and I've been tested several times (FWIW). Neither have I had the flu to my knowledge, although it's possible I had a mild one back in 1999. 

I intend to keep getting the covid one at least, plus pneumonia shots next year. I'm not sure if I'll keep up with the flu one, but if they manage to get a flu shot with 90+% effectiveness as they've been promising recently, I might spring for one then.

I think with advanced years it's important to protect against respiratory viruses, as pulmonary related deaths are one of the leading causes of death.

As you age rapamycin might be something to consider to boost the immune system and vaccination effectiveness.

[Todd Allen]

I have not gotten covid boosters because I did not take the initial vaccines.  I have been pursuing lifestyle optimization through methodical trial, evaluation and adjustment of diet, exercise and related factors and am confident in my robust health.  I take no medications and have no interest in pharmaceuticals as a long term approach to managing health.

[Saul]

I got the newest moderna covid vaccine, and fluzone (high dose flu vaccine), about a week ago.  IMO, both covid and flu vaccinations should be taken once a year.

I stay up-to-date on all vaccines.

  --  Saul