What is an mRNA vaccine and is it safe?
MRNA is cutting edge technology that's been extensively worked on by scientists, including our experts right here at VUMC. mRNA stands for messenger RNA. You can think of it as an instruction manual, teaching the body how to build proteins.
In the case of the COVID-19 vaccines, the mRNA teaches your immune system to make specific antibodies that prevent the spikes on the outside of the COVID virus from attaching to your cells. If the virus can't attach to cells, it can't make you sick.
The mRNA does not interact or change your DNA. Thus, it's very safe. The vaccine is designed to stop the virus from making you sick, but what we don't know yet is if the vaccine will stop you from spreading the virus. We hope that it does, but until we know more, we must continue to wear our masks and social distance.
What is a vaccine?
A vaccine is a tool used to make a person immune to a specific disease. It does this by stimulating the person's immune response to the specific disease in question and building up that person's immune system's memory with specific immune cells prepared for that disease.
How the COVID-19 mRNA vaccines work
Two of the COVID-19 vaccines that are being administered in the United States currently work by delivering mRNA or genetic code for a spike protein that is on the surface of the COVID-19 virus.
The spike protein is not infectious in any way on its own. Instead, it is a tool that the virus uses to enter cells and can be a tool that your body's immune system uses to identify it. When this mRNA enters the body it codes for the spike protein on the virus, giving the patient's body the opportunity to develop an immune response to that spike protein.
That way should the COVID-19 virus enter your body, your immune system can recognize the spike protein and destroy the virus before you get sick.
Why is the COVID-19 mRNA vaccine different from other vaccines?
Typically vaccines train your body's immunity with either weakened living or dead virus. Two of the COVID-19 vaccines are mRNA-based.
Though mRNA-based vaccines have been theorized for quite some time, these COVID-19 vaccines are the first of their kind to be used. It is impossible to get the COVID-19 virus from a vaccine. There is no COVID-19 virus in the vaccine. There have been some adverse effects most notably anaphylaxis allergic reactions in some patients.
It is worth noting that these have been very very rare. As of January 2021 there were 21 known cases of serious anaphylactic reactions to the vaccine in the U.S., which is an extremely small percentage of the 17.5 million doses given as of January.
If you have an allergy to any of the ingredients in the vaccine or think you might, talk to your doctor. Over 70 percent of anaphylactic reactions to the vaccine have happened within 15 minutes of administration.
Therefore, the CDC guidelines now call for a 15-minute observation period after the administration of a dose of the vaccine to any patient without a known history of anaphylaxis and for a 30-minute observation period after the administration of a dose of the vaccine to any patient who does have a known history of anaphylaxis.
Why the COVID-19 vaccine is safe and the importance of everyone receiving it
It is critically important that people get vaccinated to build herd immunity to the virus. Realistically we will need to achieve herd immunity before we can return to fully normal pre-COVID-19 life.
Comments
Post a Comment