Frequently Asked Questions About the COVID-19 Vaccines

Vaccinations save millions of lives each year. Diseases such as polio, measles, diphtheria and hepatitis A have been contained thanks to vaccines. Two major contagious infections, smallpox and rinderpest, have been eradicated with immunisation.

Presently, the COVID-19 vaccine is the best defence we have against the pandemic that has affected 3.24 million lives globally. However, with the vaccines comes a whole trove of questions about their safety, side effects and eligibility. So, in this blog, we answer some of the most frequently asked questions about the Covid vaccine.

Why should I take the COVID-19 vaccine?

Although the vaccine will not protect you from contracting COVID-19, it will increase your immunity, enabling you to mitigate the effects of the virus and avoid serious complications.

What are the different types of vaccines available?

There are three different kinds of vaccines available, and there is no risk of getting COVID-19 from any of them as none of them uses the live virus.

1. mRNA vaccines

The vaccine contain material from the virus that causes COVID-19, which directs our cells to produce a harmless virus-specific protein. After making copies of the protein, our cells destroy the vaccine's genetic material. If we get the infection in the future, our body will recognise that this particular protein should not be there and build T-lymphocytes and B-lymphocytes to fight the infection.

2. Vector vaccines

The vaccine uses a modified virus or the vector to deliver genetic code for antigen, the spike proteins found on Coronavirus’s surface into human cells. Once inside, the genetic material gives cells instructions to form a singular protein to the virus that causes this infection. With these instructions, our cells make copies of the protein, and our body can build T-lymphocytes and B-lymphocytes that will remember how to fight that virus if we are infected in the future.

3. Protein subunit vaccines

Instead of the whole virus, these vaccines contain proteins of the virus that causes COVID-19. Once vaccinated, our bodies know that the protein should not be there and produce T-lymphocytes and antibodies that remember how to fight the infection.

Can I get vaccinated if I currently have COVID-19?

COVID-19 patients do not need to be vaccinated until they have completely recovered from their illness. It is also advisable to consult with your doctor post-recovery on when you can get the vaccine as the duration may differ based on the diagnosis and treatment method.

If I take the vaccine, will I fall ill?

Most people have no significant side effects after getting the vaccine. There might be some pain or swelling on the arm where the vaccine was administered, along with fever, chills, tiredness and headache. But these are all common side effects that the immune system is doing what it should be doing - building up the body's defences against disease.

If there are any questions we might have missed, you can check out our previous blog on the covid 19 vaccines' myths.

Note: Image credits: www.freepik.com/vectors/medical