Where do the covid vaccines fall in the Rolodex of vaccines?

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The front-running vaccines in America currently designed to fight the well-known coronavirus are Moderna and Pfizer, as of January 2021. However, the new vaccine function of using mRNA, compared to other vaccine mechanisms, poses a question; how exactly are vaccines categorized? Where do the current vaccines fall in line? The answer may be more complex than most will realize as many properties or signs cross over from pre-existing vaccine technology.

What are the most common vaccine types?

There are four main “types” of vaccines, according to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. The types are live-attenuated, inactivated, toxoid, and Subunit/ recombinant/ polysaccharide/ conjugate (SRPC). All have different mechanisms to achieve vaccination, but all help prevent pathogenic disease or infection. Whether they be weakened, separated, proactive, or reactive, all four vaccines have similar results with different ways to ensure it.

Live-Attenuated vaccines are one of the most common vaccine types. When most people think about vaccines, they may think along the lines of the flu. They then connect dots to conclude that it is a strain of the flu and may also draw conclusions that it is a live-attenuated vaccine. However, this is incredibly false. Live attenuated vaccines include but are not limited to measles, chickenpox, and smallpox. These vaccines work by administering a less dangerous (attenuated) germ that causes a disease that the vaccine helps fight. They usually need 1-2 doses to be effective initially.

Inactivated vaccines are also similar to live-attenuated vaccines, but they include the common-flu vaccine previously discussed. These vaccines work by killing the germ rather than administering it, unlike live-attenuated vaccines. The flu shot, for example, works by killing the virus and injecting it to give the body's natural immune response a practice run to learn how to fight it if the body were to be exposed to the flu. These vaccines require “booster shots” as they “don't live as long as live vaccines,” according to Vaccines.Gov. These “booster shots” simply mean that vaccines will need to be administered routinely to ensure immunogenicity. They include the flu, polio, and rabies vaccine.

Perhaps the most simple vaccine mechanism, the toxoid vaccine deals with chemical manipulation to prevent infection/ disease. Although they are not the most immunogenic, they are still highly used as their simplicity and routine-efficacy. These vaccines function by injecting the toxins that cause disease at a dose that poses by no means risky or dangerous. These toxins are viewed as a sandbox for the immune system to fight and learn to handle the toxin, preparing for potential exposure later on. For example, tetanus and diphtheria are prevented with these vaccines. They too need booster shots “to get ongoing protection against diseases,” and ensure the best response possible.

The last vaccine type is one of the more complex groups as the vaccine components always vary. While other types of vaccines function by one set rule that is entirely descriptive, the SRPC vaccines only have one guiding principle, “these vaccines use only specific pieces of the germ.” as stated by Vaccines.Gov. Since they use small pieces or subunits, they can be incredibly effective as they waste no time with insignificant material. They by far have the best results for immune system response. Vaccines.Gov reveals that they are also popular because: “They can also be used on almost everyone who needs them, including people with weakened immune systems and long-term health problems." These are often seen as the most evolved type because it cultivates results far superior to the other vaccine types. Preventing things like Hepatitis B, Shingles, and HPV lives up to its convictions.

Where do the vaccines for coronavirus fall?

The Pfizer and Moderna vaccine are both highly esteemed but are hard to categorize. While some may say they are an inactivated vaccine, others would call them a subunit vaccine because the main component is just the mRNA that the vaccines are known for. Both sides have grounds, but it is not yet known which category they better belong to. The only conclusions are that the vaccines are most likely not toxoid vaccines as the vaccine inject pathogenic material instead of toxins that result from the actual coronavirus.

The argument for the vaccines and unknown categorization can actually be problematic. Uncertainty harvests disinterest from anti-vax people who fear the vaccines and their effects. In consequence, there is a bigger problem for the general public health. The protocols currently being used are not effective enough. Masks are not widely worn despite evidence showing that a “10% increase in mask-wearing makes it 3 times as likely that the coronavirus spread slows,” according to Jennifer Clopton, a writer for WebMD.

How can you help prevent the effects of vaccine uncertainty?

The first step in helping is following strict CDC-advised protocols such as masks, social distancing, and proper hygiene regimes. There are also steps one can take; calls for destigmatizing vaccines, raising awareness, or spreading information in a welcoming and informative way can help those who see vaccines as dangerous to instead see the necessity of vaccines. While many do not have degrees in microbiology or cellular biology, research and ambassadoring vaccines on social media can help to inform the public as well as promote the global flow of information to help end the effects of vaccine uncertainty and hopefully even the coronavirus pandemic.

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Sources

• “Vaccine Types.” Vaccines, www.vaccines.gov/basics/types.

• Clopton, Jennifer. “Experts Call for Better Masks As Pandemic Rolls On.” WebMD, WebMD, 19 Jan. 2021, www.webmd.com/lung/news/20210119/experts-call-for-better-masks-as-pandemic-rolls-on.

• Foley, Katherine Ellen. “Pfizer's Vaccine Candidate Would Be the First of Its Kind.” Quartz, Quartz, 11 Nov. 2020, qz.com/1931483/is-the-pfizer-vaccine-a-live-virus/.