COVID-19 Vaccines Part 2:
What You Should Know
We’re more than one year into a worldwide pandemic with nearly 30 million cases of the novel coronavirus in the U.S. and more than half a million deaths. Now, the federal government’s rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine is speeding up, with more than 113 million vaccines administered across the U.S. As a result, many of us are wondering what we need to know about the available vaccines and their safety. In an earlier post, we discussed the COVID-19 vaccines in use in the U.S., their effectiveness, and the FDA’s emergency use authorization. In this post, we’ll continue with more information about the vaccines and how they work.
How Do COVID-19 Vaccines Work?
When the novel coronavirus infects someone, it can take several weeks for their body to make and use germ-fighting tools. After an initial infection, the body keeps memory cells that quickly go into action to fight the virus if it enters the body again. We still don’t know how long our body retains these virus-fighting memory cells that protect against COVID-19.
- mRNA Vaccine
According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), two of the three of the COVID-19 vaccines approved for use in the U.S., including the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, contain messenger RNA (mRNA). These vaccines give the body instructions on how to make a harmless protein unique to the virus. Our body takes several weeks to mount a defense and fight the protein, giving our bodies those same memory cells that will swing into action if the COVID-19 virus enters the body.
- Vector Vaccine
The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is a vector vaccine. The vector vaccine uses a modified version of a different virus – another coronavirus that causes a cold – containing material inside from the COVID-19 virus. Once this viral vector is inside our cells, the genetic material tells our body how to make the protein unique to the COVID-19 virus. After our cells reproduce and then destroy these proteins, our body contains memory cells that can fight the actual COVID-19 virus if it enters the body.In testing, the Pfizer and Moderna mRNA vaccines had an effective rate of about 95% in preventing moderate to severe COVID-19 symptoms. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine had about a 66% effective rate. However, both vaccines are extremely effective at preventing moderate to severe COVID-19. We will undoubtedly learn more about the side-effects and any long-term health impacts from the vaccines in the months and years to come.If you need insight about a personal injury case, contact the Madeksho Law Firm at 888-910-6376 or through our online form. Your initial consultation is free, and you won’t pay a fee unless we recover compensation on your behalf.
