Picture by Daniel Schludi on Unsplash
The approval of the Covid-19 vaccine is the talk of the town and on 27.12.2020 it should finally be possible for the first people to be vaccinated against the coronavirus in Germany. It is said again and again that the new vaccine works differently than an ordinary vaccination. We would like to present all relevant information about the now approved vaccine here.
How do vaccines work in general?
Our immune system is our ever-armed protective agent that protects our body from all kinds of diseases. It basically remembers which viruses and bacteria it has already had to deal with so that it can react more quickly in the event of renewed contact. The defense strategies that have already been successful once are then unpacked again. And this is exactly what vaccinations do.
Since one would naturally like to avoid infection and thus actual illness, vaccinations usually involve injecting a weakened or sometimes even killed variant of a pathogen. (We speak of live and dead vaccines) The immune system can thus already take a closer look at the culprit and come up with a plan for a targeted course of action should one be exposed to the pathogen. The system is therefore prepared, and without the disease even taking place.
But how does Covid-19 vaccination differ from this approach?
How does the covid-19 vaccine work?
The now-approved vaccine is administered in two doses, each 3 weeks apart.
Vaccination against coronavirus uses a so-called “messenger RNA” or mRNA vaccine for short. These work by providing the genetic blueprint for the viral spike proteins of the virus. These proteins are needed by the virus to enter the body’s cells. (You can also learn more detailed info about how the virus enters the body in our article on Vitamin D in Covid-19 defense).
The body follows the blueprint and starts to make the proteins itself, though they cannot cause disease. Once these proteins are built, the body starts an immune reaction against the virus, allowing the person to develop immunity. At no time is the person exposed to the virus or parts of the virus itself. The new vaccine is therefore a very safe way to be immunized against the virus.
What are known side effects of the vaccine?
Nevertheless, known side effects should also be mentioned. The original FDA report on the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine mentions the following side effects:
“The most common solicited adverse reactions were injection site reactions (84.1%), fatigue (62.9%), headache (55.1%),
muscle pain (38.3%), chills (31.9%), joint pain (23.6%), fever (14.2%)…Severe adverse reactions occurred in 0.0-4.6% of participants, were more frequent after Dose 2 than after Dose 1 and were generally less frequent in older adults (>55 years of age) (<2.8%) as compared to younger participants (≤4.6%).”
These are first of all no unusual side effects with a vaccination, however these appear probably more frequently than e.g. with the flu vaccination and thereby also more strongly with younger than with older humans. As Medscape reports, the director of the Institute for Tropical Medicine at the Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Prof. Dr. Peter Kremsner, comments on this as follows: “As a 20-year-old, I wouldn’t necessarily have the vaccination given, but as an 80-year-old, I would.” As Medscape writes, “Older people benefit the most and have the fewest side effects to expect with vaccination.”
In addition, after the start of vaccination in England, there have already been two cases of anaphylactic shock in patients who already had a history of severe allergic reactions. It is therefore recommended not to vaccinate for the time being in the case of a corresponding history. Kremsner also comments on this as follows: “It’s better to participate in mass vaccination now than to vaccinate later with your primary care physician.” The staff working in the vaccination centers are also well acquainted with rare side effects and can therefore react quickly accordingly.
It will remain exciting to see how well the new vaccine is tolerated by the general population. More research should also be conducted to determine whether the current stronger reactions are not related to the nanolipids used. These ensure that the mRNA is retained longer after it has been injected. While still outside the body, the vaccine currently has to be stored at around -70°Celsius – one of the difficulties in making the vaccine available.
Concluding words
It is and remains amazing what a huge progress research has made this year in the development of the vaccine. The new way of vaccinating with mRNA vaccine is extremely promising. Nevertheless, it is an extremely fast-tracked vaccine, and its potential side effects must continue to be watched closely.