We have all witnessed a general reluctance in people to get themselves vaccinated. This is probably due to insufficient knowledge about how the vaccine works.
So, how does a vaccine work? Let us start by discussing how our body responds to pathogens/antigens (virus, bacteria, fungus etc.) present in the environment:
When an antigen enters the body, our immune cells recognise it as a threat and mount an immune response against them (called an innate immune response) which is the first line of defence provided by our body. The adaptive immune response – which is a stronger response against an antigen -is developed five to six days after the initial infection. The adaptive immune response produces antibodies to fight off the antigens, and also produces antibody-producing memory cells, which remain alive even after the antigen is cleared from the body and contribute to the remarkable property of memory of the adaptive immune response which is responsible for protecting the body in the event of future infections by the same antigen, in case of re-infection, this response will be much faster and stronger owing to the antibody-producing memory cells.
Now, how do vaccines work?
Vaccines contain inactivated antigens that produce an immune response in the body without causing the development of the disease against which the vaccine is administered. In a way, the vaccine can induce the activation of the adaptive immune response without prior infection. Some vaccines require multiple doses, given weeks or months apart. This is necessary to produce long-lived antibodies and the development of memory cells. In this way, the vaccine prepares the body to fight against an unknown antigen by building up the memory of the antigen to be able to fight it in the future.
Vaccination is important not only to protect oneself against an antigen but also for the protection of others who cannot be vaccinated (like immune compromised people or people with severe allergic reactions), which leads to something called herd immunity. Herd immunity is achieved when a larger proportion of the population is vaccinated. As a consequence, there is a lesser chance of the disease spreading in the community, hence protecting even the ones who cannot be vaccinated. Of course, no vaccine provides 100% protection, but with herd immunity, chances of the disease spreading are very slim hence. It provides substantial protection since most will now be immune to the antigen.
In a similar manner, the Covid-19 vaccines available in our country namely, Covishield and Covaxin (at the time of writing this article), work to provide immunity against the antigen SARS-CoV-2 causing the disease Covid-19. Both Covishield and Covaxin are inactivated vaccines similar to chickenpox and measles vaccines, as opposed to the other vaccines- such as the ones produced by Pfizer- which are mRNA vaccines. While Covishield is an inactivated adenovirus that has been genetically modified to express the SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins (the spike protein of the virus is responsible for attacking human cells through the ACE-2 receptors present in various cells in our body), Covaxin is an inactivated SARS-CoV-2 viral vaccine along with vaccine adjuvants that work as immune potentiators.
A rumour that has been spreading about the vaccines is that they cause death. This is not true. There has been only one recorded death (at the time of my writing this article) since the start of vaccination in January 2021. According to the casualty assessment report by the Adverse Events After Immunization (AEFI) Committee, the death of a 68-year-old man post-vaccination was due to anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis is caused when a person has a severe allergic reaction to certain chemicals that can be life-threatening. The AEFI reported 3 anaphylactic cases since the rollout of the vaccines in January 2021. Out of the three cases, two recovered, which means the incidence of anaphylaxis due to the Covid-19 vaccine is very small (~1/million).
Another rumour that has been circulating is that the vaccines cause the body to be magnetic, which is not possible since the compositions of the two vaccines do not include any substances that have magnetic properties
After receiving the vaccine, in the event that a person is infected, the severity of the symptoms is reduced greatly and usually even prevents death as well as reduces the chances of infecting other people. Because there is still a small chance of getting infected after vaccination, wearing a mask is essential until a community reaches herd immunity.
So why is vaccination important?
Vaccination against Covid-19 is critical to protect oneself but also for the country and our state to head into herd immunity. The SARS-CoV-2 virus is an RNA virus enabling it to mutate very fast, creating what are called the variants of concern (VOC) which are highly transmissible and may even cause more damage to our bodies. According to the WHO, as of June 15, 2021, there are four VOCs, namely the alpha, beta, gamma and delta variants. With the emerging VOC and the third wave expected to hit us in a few weeks, it is imperative that we protect ourselves as well as others.
We have lost many members of the community to the pandemic. Survivors not only experience the common symptoms but there might be long term complications observed as well. While more research needs to be conducted on these complications after Covid-19, some of the less common ones recorded by the WHO include, inflammation of the heart muscles, lung function abnormalities, skin rashes, sleep disturbances, anxiety, changes in mood etc.
The virus is also known to attack other cells of the body that express the receptor ACE2 such as the β cells in the pancreas (which are responsible for secreting insulin) and affects the secretion levels of insulin in the body resulting in the patient either becoming predisposed to diabetes (type-2) or resulting in diabetes (type-2) as an immediate/long-term complication as reported by Hayden M.R. in his study: An immediate and long-term complication of Covid-19 and Chien- Ting Wu et.al. in their study: SARS-CoV-2 infects human pancreatic β cells and elicits β cell impairment.
Should we be concerned about the approval of emergency use without proper trials being completed?
The WHO’s Emergency Use Listing (EUL) carefully accesses the safety, quality and efficacy of the vaccine before rolling them out in cases of public health emergencies with the objective of making vaccines available as rapidly as possible. The EUL pathway involves rigorous assessment that includes reviewing data by independent experts and WHO teams who consider the available evidence on the vaccine under consideration; plan for monitoring its use and also plan for further studies. Since the WHO does not approve the use of vaccines without completing all the procedures, we can safely take the vaccine and progress towards herd immunity.
The virus has created so much chaos in our lives, disrupting our day to day activities and changing our lifestyles. Let us not let this virus defeat us. Let us join hands and work together to fight the virus. Let us break the chain and protect ourselves and help protect others. Like we eradicated smallpox and polio, let us do the same with this new virus. Let’s get vaccinated!
(By Ibakordor Khyriem)