COVID-19 Vaccine: Get the Fax about the Vax

by Theresa Ferrari, Extension Specialist, 4-H Youth Development

Today I got my first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. I’m now part of the 55 million people in the U.S. who so far have received their first dose of the vaccine.

I’ve been waiting for this day for a while now, and I’m glad it finally arrived! It was painless and after waiting the required 15 minutes with no reaction, I was free to go. The whole process was very organized and efficient. Ten hours later, and I notice a very slight soreness when I lift my arm, similar to how I react to a flu vaccine. Ironically, my second appointment is 1 day shy of the first day I started working from home. It’s either been a long time or a short time ago, depending on how you look at it.

Just like when I have voted, I got a sticker that declares I’ve been vaccinated. In a way, getting the vaccine is like a vote – a vote of confidence in science. A vote that shows I’m doing my part, not only for myself, but for a future without this virus.

How does the COVID-19 vaccine work? It’s important to know the facts behind the vaccine.

The two COVID-19 vaccines currently approved for use as of this writing use mRNA, which stands for messenger RNA (ribonucleic acid). Who knew that high school biology class would come in so handy? mRNA is a new approach to vaccines. mRNA vaccines take advantage of the process that cells use to make proteins in order to trigger an immune response and build immunity to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

mRNA can most easily be described as instructions for the cell on how to make a piece of the “spike protein” that is unique to SARS-CoV-2. Because only part of the protein is made, it does not do any harm to the person vaccinated but it is helps to induce an immune response.

After the piece of the spike protein is made, the cell breaks down the mRNA strands and disposes of them using enzymes in the cell. It is important to note that the mRNA strand never enters the cell’s nucleus (the part of the cell that controls its activities and where your DNA is) or affects genetic material (DNA). mRNA vaccines DO NOT alter or modify someone’s genetic makeup.

Once displayed on the cell surface, the protein or antigen causes the immune system to begin producing antibodies and activating cells (called T-cells) to fight off what it thinks is an infection. These antibodies are specific to the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which means the immune system is primed to protect against future infection.

Here are some key points about the COVID-19 vaccine.

  • Like all vaccines, COVID-19 mRNA vaccines have been rigorously tested for safety before being authorized for use in the United States.
  • mRNA technology is new, but not unknown. They have been studied for more than a decade.
  • mRNA vaccines do not contain a live virus and do not carry a risk of causing disease in the vaccinated person.
  • mRNA from the vaccine never enters the nucleus of the cell and does not affect or interact with a person’s DNA.

Be Part of the Herd

Why do we need vaccines? You many have heard about the concept of herd immunity. This site shows what happens when a contagious disease enters an unvaccinated group.  Many members are infected because they lack immunity to the disease. The Mayo Clinic explains that herd immunity occurs when a large portion of a community (the herd) becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. As a result, the whole community becomes protected — not just those who are immune.

When a large proportion of the population is vaccinated the spread of disease is limited. Vaccines create immunity without causing illness or resulting complications. Herd immunity makes it possible to protect the population from a disease, including those who can’t be vaccinated, such as newborns or those who have compromised immune systems. Using the concept of herd immunity, vaccines have successfully controlled deadly contagious diseases such as smallpox, polio, diphtheria, rubella, and many others. It is estimated that for COVID-19, about 75% of the population must be vaccinated to achieve herd immunity.

Herd immunity can also be reached when a sufficient number of people in the population have recovered from a disease and have developed antibodies against future infection. A large number of people would have to become infected to reach the herd immunity threshold in this way. This amount of infection could also lead to serious complications and millions of deaths, and is therefore not the desirable way to reach herd immunity.

What next?

Both COVID-19 and the vaccine are new, so there are some things we don’t know yet. We don’t know how long protection lasts for those who get infected or those who are vaccinated. We also don’t yet know whether getting a COVID-19 vaccine will prevent you from spreading the virus that causes COVID-19 to other people, even if you don’t get sick yourself. [Update 3/29/21: According to a study reported by the CDC, the current mRNA COVID-19 vaccines are effective for preventing SARS-CoV-2 infection in real-world conditions. Those who were fully vaccinated were 90% less likely to get infected.] What we do know is that COVID-19 has caused very serious illness and death for a lot of people.

Even after receiving a vaccination, it’s important for everyone to continue using all the tools available to help stop this pandemic as we learn more about how COVID-19 vaccines work in real-world conditions.

To protect yourself and others, follow these recommendations from the CDC:

  • Wear a mask over your nose and mouth
  • Stay at least 6 feet away from others
  • Avoid crowds
  • Avoid poorly ventilated spaces
  • Wash your hands often

Two personal stories related to pandemics and vaccines:

  • A pandemic connection: My maternal grandmother had the flu during the 1918 epidemic. As I remember her stories, she was sick in bed for 3 weeks and then she recovered. Not long after that she emigrated from Italy to the U.S. I wish I had asked her more questions about her experience (I guess I didn’t know that years later I’d be living through the next global pandemic). So write down your stories and they will be there for you to share and for future generations to learn from.
  • A Pfizer connection: The vaccine I received today was the Pfizer vaccine. Pfizer’s vaccine development headquarters are located in Pearl River, New York, at what used to be Lederle Laboratories before it was acquired by Pfizer. It’s less than a mile from where I grew up. For 39 years when it was Lederle, my dad worked there as a research chemist; he worked in a lab doing tests needed before drugs were approved by the FDA. In 1963 Lederle introduced Orimune, an oral polio vaccine that built a permanent immunity to polio and eliminated the need for injections, and I remember taking this vaccine as a child. Some years later, I worked at Lederle for three summers when I was in college, packing pharmaceuticals, including Orimune, for distribution. So I know how much work goes on behind the scenes to bring these products into being. It is truly a team effort. So getting the Pfizer vaccine today was like coming full circle for me.

I think it is really interesting to learn more about the scientists behind the current vaccines’ development. Often it is the culmination of years of work before they make a breakthrough. If you are interested, you can check out these links:

I, like others, have experienced many emotions in the past year. Today was a reminder about the importance of expressing gratitude, which I wrote about on New Year’s Day. There are so many things I’m grateful for: for the scientists who worked to develop the vaccines, for the people who participated in the trials, for those who made sure it was safe, for the public health officials who have communicated the measures that we need to continue to follow. That I had a job where I could work from home. That I didn’t contract COVID-19. That every day more people are getting vaccinated – millions of people.

I think I’ll be able to add more than three slips of paper in my gratitude jar today.

Gratitude Jar

Gratitude Jar

 

Adapted from:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: mRNA Vaccine Basics and Vaccines  FAQ

College of Physicians of Philadelphia: History of Vaccines

Mayo Clinic: Herd Immunity and Coronavirus

Start the New Year with Gratitude – Make a Gratitude Jar

Gratitude Jar, jar with slips of paper

Make a Gratitude Jar

The start of a new year is an opportunity to pause and reflect on what has been and what lies ahead. For many reasons, 2020 is a year many people would like to forget. Stay-at-home orders, the resulting school and business closures, and social distancing guidelines changed how we lived our lives during a global pandemic. It is natural and healthy to be disappointed when experiencing a loss. But it is equally important to recognize and appreciate what we have in our life. Gratitude reverses our priorities to help us appreciate the people and things we do have. As one way to start the new year with gratitude, make a Gratitude Jar.

Gratitude is defined as an appreciation of what is valuable and meaningful to oneself; it is a general state of thankfulness and/or appreciation. Gratitude has a variety of benefits that help promote healthy development. Research shows that people who think about the good things in their life tend to be happier and less depressed.

Here is how to fill the Gratitude Jar.

  1. Think of at least three good things each day and write each on a separate slip of paper. This “good stuff” can be something great that happened, or it can just be something more ordinary. The point is the reflect and write it down.
  2. Put the slips in the Gratitude Jar.
  3. At the end of the month (or other amount of time), you can look back through the slips and reflect and be reminded of all the “good stuff” that has happened. It is also something to do on a holiday such as Thanksgiving or New Year’s Eve. You may be surprised to see how the “little things” have added up.

This practice is easy on “good days.” But on a “bad day” or when you think things are not going so well in your life, the good stuff won’t always be so easy to find. That’s where you may have to do some hunting to find the good stuff. We sometimes refer to this as “finding the silver lining in a cloud” or “turning lemons into lemonade.” Here’s an example: One night I was working late, and as I drove home a song came on the radio. Despite not having heard it in years, I could sing every word. It was late and I was tired, but hearing that song brought a smile to my face. That was one of the things I wrote for my gratitude jar that night. And I still remember it, even though it was 7 years ago!

It may take time for expressing gratitude to become a habit. And you may not feel the positive effects of expressing gratitude right away. But research shows that you should stick with it. Researchers at the University of California Berkeley concluded that practicing gratitude may help train the brain to be more sensitive to the experience of gratitude down the line, and this could contribute to improved mental health over time.

If you want to take the next step in expressing gratitude, write a note to express your gratitude to someone. Recent research shows that actually expressing your gratitude to someone else may be particularly effective. Not only will you feel good, but sharing your appreciation to a teacher, family member, or friend will surely make their day.

You can download directions for the Gratitude Jar here.

Gratitude Jar directions

Directions for Making a Gratitude Jar

Adapted from Coping with COVID: Lesson Plans to Promote Mental, Emotional, and Social Health.

Yours in Health,

Signature

Theresa Ferrari, Extension Specialist, 4-H Youth Development