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You've probably heard about the global pandemic known as Covid-19, which is sweeping the globe. You may know someone who has perished or been harmed by the virus by this point, or you may have seen several news reports about the virus's threat. But don't worry, the Covid vaccinations are here!
The Covid Virus Infection
What is a virus?
Any virus infects the body's cells directly. A virus is an infectious agent that only replicates within the cells of its host. Although a virus requires another cell of any organism, including bacteria, plants, and animals, they are independent from their host. Every virus has a viral genome or genetic material, that is stored within the virus's capsid. Viruses are diverse as well; their genetic material differs from that of many other organisms. A virus may contain DNA or RNA, its genetic strands may be linear or circular, and the length of the DNA or RNA strand varies.
Lung Structure
Before we get into the specifics, let's go over the lung's structure. Recognizing how Covid affects the lungs requires an understanding of a specific part of the lung known as the alveoli. Alveoli are small sacs found at the ends of bronchioles, which are small and narrow tube-like structures. Bronchi are the passages that split into bronchioles. After passing through the nasal cavities, which catch any foreign particles with mucus and small hairs called nasal cilia, the air enters the bronchus via the pharynx, larynx, and trachea (windpipe). The veins and arteries of the cardiovascular system, which transport red blood cells, surround the alveoli. With red blood cells, they exchange carbon dioxide and oxygen. As oxygen is delivered to the red blood cells, carbon dioxide is transferred into the alveoli and exhaled through the same route.
Covid Virus Structure
When a person inhales, the Coronavirus usually enters the alveoli. However, it can also enter through other channels, such as the eyes and mouth. The Covid virus has the appearance of a living cell, but it is not one. It has a membrane called an envelope that aids the virus's survival and infection of other cells. The Covid virus is an RNA virus or it carries genetic material in the form of RNA that primarily affects lung cells. But what distinguishes it from a cell are the spikes on the virus's membrane known as "spike proteins." The spike proteins allow the virus to attach to the alveoli and infect the cells within each alveolar compartment.
Infections
When a cell becomes overly infected by the virus, it may collapse or cave inwards. In addition, fluid in the blood vessels begins to enter the lungs instead of air. When a large number of these alveolar cells collapse and the alveoli fill up with fluid, the natural exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide is hampered, making it difficult to breathe. It is a mild case if only a few alveoli are filled with liquid and slightly depressed. A severe case, on the other hand, is when the majority of the alveoli collapse and fill with fluid. It should be noted that the Covid virus can affect many other organ systems besides the lungs, but that is beyond the scope of this blog post.
Covid Vaccines and How They Work
Every vaccination, including the Covid vaccines, helps the body develop immunity to the Covid virus without making us sick. Vaccinations, on the other hand, can be developed in a variety of ways, making them more or less effective against the virus. There are three types of Covid-19 vaccinations available in the United States:
Pfizer-BioNTech
Moderna
Johnson & Johnson/Janssen
The Covid vaccines have several differences and similarities, but the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) have approved all vaccines to be safe, effective, and reduce the risk of acute Covid illness. Here are some more comparisons and contrasts highlighted in the table below:
As you may see there are 2 different types of Covid-vaccinations the mRNA vaccination used by Pfizer BioNTech and Moderna. However, Johnson & Johnson/Janssen also uses a different method known as the viral vector vaccination.
mRNA Vaccination
Maybe you heard about RNA, but what does mRNA mean? mRNA is a kind of RNA that gathers genetic information from DNA and leads it to a ribosome, which translates genetic information into proteins that perform various body functions so you can grow and reproduce. mRNA is also known as messenger RNA for this reason.
Both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines contain genetic code (nucleotide bases) sequences in the form of mRNA. The mRNA strands injected into the upper arm muscle during the shot are used to create a harmless spike protein (antigen). The mRNA is then degraded within the cell, but the spike protein produced is recognized by the immune system. When the immune system recognizes that the spike protein does not belong there, it initiates the immune response by producing antibodies. When enough antibodies are produced, it acts as a natural antiseptic against the Covid-19 virus. Furthermore, if we ever come into contact with the virus, our bodies have already learned to protect against future infection because the immune response recognizes the same spike proteins and activates the specific immune response to produce antibodies.
mRNA vaccines are relatively new, but they have been used for decades and are becoming increasingly popular. They can be made in laboratories from readily available materials, allowing for greater output in less time. Future mRNA vaccines may even use a single vaccine to protect organisms against multiple viruses. However, for the time being, the Pfizer BioNTech and Moderna vaccines have achieved their goal of protecting against the Covid virus without the need for infection.
Viral Vector Vaccination
There are several similarities between the Pfizer and Moderna mRNA vaccinations and the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen viral vector vaccination, but each has its own set of differences. The most notable distinction is that the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen vaccine employs a vector rather than mRNA. A viral vector is a modified virus that is used to deliver the genetic code for the spike proteins or antigen in the Covid-19 virus. The vector used in the Johnson & Johnson study is not the virus that causes Covid-19 but rather an adenovirus that typically causes mild cold symptoms when it infects an individual.
Though an adenovirus is injected into our bodies, it has been modified to produce the Covid virus's spike protein (antigen), which, like the mRNA vaccination, is recognized by the immune system and a response is triggered to begin the mass production of antibodies. The antibodies then activate other immune cells, so that if the Covid virus ever infiltrates our bodies, our immune cells will not only be able to deactivate it but will also learn to protect us from future infection.
Although the viral vector used by Johnson & Johnson/Janssen has been modified to require only one dose, many other Covid vaccines that use the viral vector method, such as the Oxford-AstraZeneca, Covishield, Sputnik V, and others, may require two. Other than the Covid-19 pandemic, viral vectors have been used in outbreaks such as the Ebola outbreak, and numerous studies have focused viral vector vaccinations on diseases such as Zika, flu, and others.
Side Effects of Covid Vaccination
Some people frequently complain about having side effects after receiving the Covid-19 vaccination, but these side effects are normal signs of your body developing immunity to the virus. Sometimes there are no side effects, and other times the side effects impair your ability to carry out daily activities. However, the side effects of the Covid-19 vaccination almost always go away after a few days.
Some common side effects from the vaccination are:
Pain in the shot area
Swelling in the shot area
Redness in the shot area
Tiredness
Headache
Muscle Pain
Chills
Fever
Nausea
Though there are several side effects one can take certain steps to reduce the effects of the vaccination as well including:
Drinking lots of fluids
Moving or exercising the arm on which the shot was administered
Applying a clean, cool, and/or wet cloth over the shot area
Tight clothing
Typically, in mRNA vaccinations that require two shots, the second shot is more potent and causes more of these side effects. The symptoms usually go away within a few days, but they don't always. Contact a doctor if the side effects worsen or do not go away after a few days. Furthermore, rare but severe allergic reactions have been reported in those who are allergic to preservatives commonly found in vaccines. Adolescents and young adults have also been known to develop myocarditis and pericarditis. Contact a healthcare professional if any of these symptoms appear.
That sums up Covid-19 in a Nutshell. Please remember to wear your masks indoors and to follow the guidelines even after vaccination. I hope you found this information useful. See you again soon with a new post!
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