First CDC signed off on a COVID-19 vaccine for adults, then teens. Now US children ages 5 to 11 are officially eligible for shots. Here’s the science on why each group needs to be considered separately.
It’s not a bad sign if you feel fine after your COVID-19 shot.
Luis Alvarez/DigitalVision via Getty Images
Older coronavirus patients face grimmer outlooks. A virologist explains the aging-related changes in how immune systems work that are to blame.
An artist’s impression of antibodies (red and blue) responding to an infection with the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (purple).
KTSDESIGN/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Getty Images
If antibody levels drop dramatically after an infection, what does that mean for immunity? An expert explains how B and T cells contribute to immunity and why antibodies don’t tell the full story.
There are currently no permanent treatments for most patients with inflammatory bowel disease.
PokPak05/iStock/Getty Images Plus
Different demographics are more or less vulnerable to serious complications from the coronavirus. A virologist explains the aging-related changes in how immune systems work that are to blame.
The only thing standing between invaders such as bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungi and our devastation is our immune system.
kurtxio/Flickr
The immune system does such a good job most of the time that we only really think about it when things go wrong. But to provide such excellent protection, it must constantly learn.
The innate immune response causes the common signs of inflammation including swelling, pain, heat, redness and loss of function.
Brandon Daniel/Flickr
The immune system is critical for protecting against illness-causing organisms, such as viruses, bacteria and fungi, which are collectively known as pathogens. Without it, we would quickly become infected…