Written by Trevor Lui
Edited by Ivan Suen
Mutations of viruses and diseases are very common, as they are caused by DNA copying mistakes or exposure to ionising radiation and different chemicals. Therefore, there is always a risk that the genetic code for a disease is not copied accurately, causing different variants. Currently, with over 349 million confirmed cases around the world, is taking the vaccine still protective against the new variants of coronavirus?
(Why Some, 2021)
Firstly, we must understand how vaccines are made, as we can use that information to figure out if they are useful against different variants of the coronavirus. Vaccines are made from fragments of the organisms that cause diseases, in this case tiny fragments of coronavirus samples. In addition, the vaccine contains other ingredients to make sure it is safe and effective to use- these ingredients have been used in vaccines for decades.
When the vaccine enters our body, an immune response is triggered. Thus, people may experience side effects from the vaccine, which contains a weakened or inactivated version of the disease. In this case, the COVID-19 vaccines will instruct the muscle cells to produce ‘Spike Protein”, which is found on the surface of the COVID-19 virus. This causes the antibodies to produce immune cells to fight the “infection” which is caused by the Spike Protein, as the body thinks that it is an infection.
(COVID: Germany, n.d.).
At the end of this process, the body will be able to protect against future infections from the Covid-19 virus, therefore causing immunity from the virus. However, these new variants include typos which travel from one person to another when the virus spreads. A lot of these mutations die out rather quickly, while some circulate around swiftly, an example being the current Omicron variant.
A lot of myths circulating around the internet claim that a third dose of vaccine will help boost immunity, that is true to a certain extent. As the vaccine only causes the body to produce antibodies and immune cells to fight the virus. Therefore, a person should only get a third dose of the vaccine if they don’t have a high percentage of antibodies to fight the virus; not just because the government claims it has a higher chance of preventing the virus. Furthermore, there is no scientific evidence to prove that getting a third dose of the vaccine is beneficial, especially if you already have taken two doses, as your body could already have developed enough antibodies to develop immunity against the virus.
References
COVID-19: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SARS-COV-2 VARIANTS. (n.d.). Retrieved 2021, from https://cen.acs.org/sections/new-covid-19-variants-vaccines-effective.html
COVID: Germany recommends booster shot for everyone over 18. (n.d.). https://www.dw.com/en/covid-germany-recommends-booster-shot-for-everyone-over-18/a-59852732
How are vaccines developed? (2020). https://www.who.int/news-room/feature-stories/detail/how-are-vaccines-developed
Mutation. (n.d.). https://www.genome.gov/genetics-glossary/Mutation#:~:text=Mutations%20can%20result%20from%20DNA,mutagens%2C%20or%20infection%20by%20viruses.
Why some individuals have stronger SARS-COV-2 defences. (2021). UK Research and Innovation. https://www.ukri.org/news/why-some-individuals-have-stronger-sars-cov-2-defences/
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