Welcome back! Today we will be talking more about the COVID 19 vaccine – and whether it is the answer to the pandemic.
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So today, I will be sharing more about the Pfizer and Moderna Covid-19 vaccine. How does it work? Who should get this vaccine? And whether this vaccine is the solution for the COVID – 19 pandemic.
Vaccines of the past usually contain a weakened or dead form of the virus or bacteria. By injecting the weakened or dead virus or bacteria into our body it allows our immune system to recognize them and create immune cells to fight against them. And when we do come into contact with them in the future in a real infection, our immune system would recognize them immediately and can mount an attack to kill them and prevent a full-blown infection.
The two new messenger RNA vaccines created by Pfizer-biotech and Moderna are novel and different from the traditional vaccines. The vaccines do not contain any covid 19 virus – instead, it contains a genetical code called messenger RNA. Remember how the COVID-19 looks like? – it is essentially a sphere with protein spikes on its surface. Scientists have created the messenger RNA that codes for the protein spikes on the COVID-19 virus. The Messenger RNA contained within the vaccine will travel and enter our body cells after it’s injected into our muscles. Once inside our cells – the messenger RNA basically provides the instruction manual that allows our protein production factory within the cell to produce multiple copies of these spike proteins. When these spikes have been created and released – our immune system will now recognize these spikes and create antibodies against the spikes. So when we truly meet with the COVID-19 in the future, our body would already have antibodies against the spikes of the covid 19 and will be able to mount an immune response to fight the covid 19 virus and prevent infection. The messenger RNA in the vaccine will then be destroyed within hours to days after its done its work.
So how effective is it?
Pfizer’s vaccine has been studied in people 16 years old and above with 95% effectiveness in preventing symptomatic covid 19 infection from 7 days after 2nd dose of vaccine. 2 doses of the vaccine injected 21 days apart are required. The vaccine from Moderna has been studied in people 18 years old and above with 94% efficacy in preventing symptomatic covid 19 infection from 14 days after 2nd dose of vaccine. 2 doses are required 28 days apart.
Its not known however if either vaccine prevents asymptomatic infection with covid 19, it is also not known also if people vaccinated can transmit the virus to others.
Common side effects are: injection site pain, fatigue, headache, muscle and joint pain. Some people in the trials reported fever – about 14% ( 1 in 7 ) of people developed fever after receiving the vaccine. Another recent side effects that of concern is allergy to the vaccine – patients may get rash or eye swelling or even airway swelling due to the vaccine. Side effects are more common after the second dose.
The vaccines have not been studied in children less than 16 and pregnant ladies as of the time of production of this video. So the vaccines are not for people who fall into this two group. If you are breastfeeding, you should stop breast feeding for 1 week . If you are trying to have a baby, you should defer the conception during the vaccination period and for at least 1 month after the 2nd dose. Also more studies will need to be done to evaluate how long the vaccines last and whether there are any long term side effects.
Are these vaccines the solution for the pandemic?
Well, the vaccines gives you 95% protection, which means to say you still have a 5% chance of catching the covid 19 infection.
Secondly, there is still a possibility that you could be an asymptomatic carrier of the virus and transmit the virus to other despite receiving the vaccine. Hence, receiving the vaccine does not guarantee that you don’t catch the virus.
But if everyone one else around you receives the vaccine together with you, then the risk of you actually catching the virus from them is very much reduced because you are 95% protected and everyone else around you are 95% protected too.
But that would take time as the vaccine is being produced and distributed worldwide.So in the meantime , there is still a need for mask wearing and social distancing for now to reduce your chance of catching the virus.
