A vaccine is a type of medicine that helps your immune system protect you from getting sick. It does this by training the immune system to recognize and fight certain diseases, such as measles or polio.
Vaccines have helped the human race fight off countless diseases, including the COVID-19 pandemic we are currently experiencing.
Today we’ve come to a point where people are starting to fear vaccines instead of what they’re actually protecting us from, so let’s look at how vaccines work, why you shouldn’t be afraid of receiving one!
How Are Vaccines Made?
First, we need to understand how vaccines are made. They’re made from weakened or dead forms of a disease, which allows your body the ability to recognize and fight it off if you come into contact with it again later on in life.
Recently, mRNA vaccines were found to be an effective alternative to regular vaccines in fighting the coronavirus. These viruses are developed by taking mRNA, which is used to produce proteins in cells, and putting it into a vector. The virus can then be introduced into the body through injection or nasal. This form of vaccine can protect you from diseases that are currently untreatable by other means.
How Do Vaccines Work?
When you receive a vaccine, your body recognizes the weaker form of the virus in it and creates antibodies to fight it off. When your body comes into contact with the disease itself, the antibodies you’ve produced recognize that certain pathogen and activate to destroy it so that your body won’t get sick.
How Long Do Vaccines Last?
Vaccine effectiveness varies by the vaccine, as well as by the disease they treat. Often, a booster will be required to maintain a certain level of immune protection.
Are Vaccines Safe?
Vaccines are considered safe due to the numerous testing and regulations that go into development. Even in the rapidly-developed COVID-19 vaccine, the results were deemed safe and effective across the board.
If you’ve got questions about how vaccines work or want to learn more, the CDC website is an excellent resource for any question you might have!