“The Coronavirus Vaccine: How Does it Work?”

"The Coronavirus Vaccine: How Does it Work?"

Madelyn Miel, Staff Writer
November 17, 2020

As many of you may or may not know, there is a vaccine that’s ready to come out and play in this year’s terrible game of Life. According to The Washington Post, Pfizer, one of the world’s biggest pharmaceutical companies, just recently released a press statement that they have developed a Covid-19 vaccine with a 90% efficacy rate.  While there are still many ongoing trials for this vaccine and it is not yet ready for public distribution, there is still plenty of interesting information to know about this vaccine!

The most common vaccines we get, such as chickenpox, measles, and influenza (flu), are typically alive but weakened versions of the viruses. What makes the COVID-19 vaccine different is how they are introducing it to our bodies. Instead of introducing a small amount of weakened virus, COVID-19 uses the messenger RNA from COVID-19 for this vaccine. From here, the vaccine should make our cells create a harmless protein that is unique to the virus. Then our cells will copy the protein and will destroy genetic material from the vaccine. Our bodies then will recognize that protein as an outsider and will create antibodies for the virus. These antibodies will then remember how to fight the virus again as it will recognize it. These antibodies are like a lock and key,  a very specific antibody for a specific virus. In this case, the virus is COVID-19. Since antibodies provide lasting immunity, in this case, immunity can last six months, or maybe shorter, or longer. 

Even though this sounds like fantastic news (don’t get me wrong, it’s a HUGE step), this vaccine is still in the trial phase. Most of the vaccines in a trial are in phase 3 for testing in the United States. Most of the vaccines in the trial use two shots (one vaccine uses one). This vaccine is unlike many vaccines because some are good after one go for a lifetime, or like the influenza vaccine, you need it once a year. Two shots are necessary for this vaccine as it is to get the most protection you can! 

Since this vaccine is still in the trial phase, and even once it becomes approved, everyone should still listen to mask mandates, social distancing protocols, and being respectful and responsible for others. A vaccine will not make a virus disappear; it will just make it more unlikely to get it while likely to provide immunity. There are illnesses such as the Bubonic Plague that are still around! (this virus came around to Europe in 1340 and caused a pandemic!) So please, wear a mask to get this under control!

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