A Primer on COVID-19 Vaccines: How They Work and Things to Know

What are COVID-19 Vaccines?

COVID-19 vaccines are explicitly made to help your body develop immunity against the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Once your vaccination is complete, your body can begin to successfully detect foreign cells in your body and prevent severe infection.

Most COVID-19 vaccinations will require two doses, with the exemptions of Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca that only need one. The vaccines are guaranteed to be safe for use and efficient in triggering the necessary immune responses to prevent symptomatic infections. 

Despite the side effects some brands may cause, getting vaccinated can significantly reduce the risks of infection when exposed to the virus. However, this does not imply that you will be immune to the virus itself.

Types of COVID-19 Vaccines

Different types of COVID-19 vaccines offer various methods of providing immunity. It will take a few weeks after completing your vaccination for your body to produce the necessary T-lymphocytes and B-lymphocytes cells against the virus.

Three types of COVID-19 vaccines have been authorized and recommended by health organizations: mRNA, protein subunit, and vector vaccines.

• mRNA Vaccines
   

mRNA vaccines contain virus materials that are known to cause COVID-19. These materials will alert our cells and give them instructions to create a protein that mimics infections. Once these proteins are made, the genetic material from the vaccine is broken down, triggering immune responses. 

• Protein Subunit Vaccines
   

Instead of using the real virus that causes COVID-19, protein subunit vaccines have harmless protein fragments of the virus. When injected, the immune system automatically recognizes this and begins making the necessary antibodies to fight it. Once completed, your body will remember how to fight against infections from the virus in the future.

• Vector Vaccines
    

Vector vaccines use a modified version of other viruses to create a harmless version of the virus that causes COVID-19, with the "Viral Vector" core also containing some material from SARS-CoV-2. Once injected into the body, the virus's genetic material instructs your cells to create a protein that will trigger an immune response. 

Top COVID-19 Vaccines 

• Moderna
     

Moderna is one of the most widely available variants of the COVID-19 vaccine that requires two doses taken 28 days apart. The vaccine works by mimicking natural infections to trigger immune responses in the body.

Moderna also has one of the highest efficacy rates at 94.1% against symptomatic COVID-19 patients. However, you should take note of a few minor side effects, such as headaches, muscle soreness, and fatigue. 

• Pfizer-BioNTech
      

Pfizer is another mRNA vaccine requiring two doses taken 14 days apart. Like other COVID-19 vaccines, Pfizer has been clinically tested to prevent the risk of infection from SARS-CoV-2. This vaccine also has a high efficacy rate of 95.3% against symptomatic COVID-19 patients and shares similar side effects with other vaccines.

• Johnson & Johnson
       

Also known as Ad26.COV2.S, this vaccine requires only a single dose. Johnson & Johnson has been tested to have an efficacy rate of 66%, which is significantly lower than other vaccines that require two doses. However, due to only needing one dose of the vaccine, this variant can be delivered to more people in need of vaccination. 

• Sinovac
        

The Sinovac vaccine uses inactivated viral particles to expose your immune system to the virus without any risks. This vaccine requires two doses with a 14-day interval between doses. Sinovac also shows mild side effects similar to other vaccines, such as muscle pain, nausea, and headaches. However, the efficacy rate ranges from 80% to 90%.

• Oxford-AstraZeneca
      

AstraZeneca is another single dose COVID-19 vaccine that has an efficacy rate of 63%. It uses a weakened common cold virus that came from chimpanzees to boost immunity.

While there are no significant side effects from this vaccine, some records show blood clotting as an extremely rare case. Further studies are currently being conducted to determine the correlation between the two. 

• Novavax
        

Novavax is a protein-based vaccine that requires two doses taken at least 21 days to one month apart. The type shows an efficacy rate of 89.3% making it effective in preventing infection from COVID-19. The vaccine has also been tested effective against the UK and South African variants of the virus. 

The Right Vaccine is the One in Your Arm

Vaccinations provide you with one of the best ways to protect yourself from illnesses and prevent the spreading of viruses to others. Without vaccines, your body will most likely be unable to develop the proper immunity to fight against new diseases successfully.

One lesson you can learn from the ongoing pandemic is always to take care of your health. You can achieve this by following good lifestyle habits, eating well, and exercising. Additionally, having a comprehensive health insurance plan can help you when you need to seek medical advice or treatment. 

Prioritize your health today. Schedule a virtual appointment with a Bancassurance Sales Executive to determine how you can plan to protect yourself and your loved ones against COVID-19.