> (...) but in my mind the spike proteins that are generated by an actual infection don't typically leave the cytoplasm detached from the rest of the virus. If

> (...) but in my mind the spike proteins that are generated by an actual infection don't typically leave the cytoplasm detached from the rest of the virus. If the virus is destroyed and released into the extracellular environment, its proteins can dissociate and are further fragmented and processed by the immune system. What’s usually presented to T cells are small antigen pieces as opposed to the whole virus/protein.