Keeping defences high

The past two years have made it clear that viruses remain a significant threat within the modern world. This is because the nature of viruses is so unpredictable. Whilst some viruses may be easily defended against by our own immune systems, others can adapt and mutate, sometimes creating stronger strains that can outsmart our natural defences.

This ability to evolve also means that viruses can be resilient against protective measures such as universal vaccines. The influenza virus is a pertinent example. Due to its ability to evolve quickly, studies have suggested that a universal vaccine against the virus wouldn’t be successful. This is because any new strains that emerge would find weaknesses in the protection that an injection of this nature would afford. In light of this, a new jab to protect against influenza is developed every year to help boost our immunity against the virus.