COVID-19 VACCINE Flashcards
Need of the vaccine
to fight of the mortality and the morbidity that covid-19 caused worlwide (higher risk : the elderly, thosw with underlying medical conditions)
Vaccine
a technology humanity has often relied on in the past to bring down the death toll of infectious diseases, by gaining immunity.
Development process of the vaccine
- Development
- Scientific evaluation and approval
- Monitoring vaccine safety in real life.
How is vaccination going?
- safe
- qualitative
- efficient (who, ema, fda)
- 100% free
- optional
Vaccination companies
- Phizer (95% efficacy)
- Moderna therapeuties (same)
- CureVac
- Johnson and johnson
- Sanofi/ GSK partnership
- Astrazeneca (70%)
How mRNA vaccines work
They teach our cells to make a protein, or a piece of protein, that triggers our immune response. The spike protein enters cells by recognizing a membrance bound enzyme. The spike protein is a large transmembrane protein and it is in pre fusion form. This form is recognized by antibodies. The immune system recognizes that the protein does not belong there so it builds an immune response.
How astrazeneca vaccine works
The gene for covid;s spike protein is added to another virus called adenovirus. Adenoviruses enter the cells and pushe their DNA into the nucleus and the gene is copied into mRNA and begings to assemble spike proteins.
Facts about the vaccine
- rare allergic reactions
- doesn’t change the DNA
- doesn’t give covid
- stronger than natural immunity (2 doses and cell memory is stronger)
- possible to trasmit covid
Advantages of the vaccine
- protection without exposure to the virus
- protection of high risk groups
- 2 weeks to become immune
- immunity varies 6-8 months
- 90% efficacy
Doubts about the vaccine
- possibility to get infected
2. lack of data for people with autoimmune diseases
Side effects of the vaccine
- lasts 1-3 days
- 2nd dose could be a little worse
- very unlikely to show allergic reactions
Positive attitude towards vaccine
- most effective way
- reduction of daily deaths
3,. benefits the health system - economic recovery
- return to normal life
- reduction of the transmissibility
Negative attitude towards vaccine
- created in few months
- doubts about it’s effectiveness
- not safe
- has side effects
- DNA may be changed
- microchips
Immunity passports and immunity
- protects travellers
- freedom otherwise suspended during lockdown
- in comination with other measures
- difficult to develop a test with high senxitivity and specificity
