Interferons flood your bloodstream and set up camp in your mucous, prompting more proteins called cytokines to join the battle. “Paradoxically, our own soldiers created for the fight are what cause us to have symptoms,” said Dr. Schaffner. All those cells lining your mucous membranes have been damaged and are like weeping sores, Dr. Schaffner said. In previous years, against strains other than H3N2, flu shots have had reported effectiveness of about 40 percent to 60 percent. Advertisement Continue reading the main storyWhile you may continue to cough for weeks, Dr. Schaffner said you probably aren’t infectious.

Source: New York Times January 12, 2018 23:15 UTC