Arthur Brewer
Dr. Crowther
English Composition
4/7/22
Do you ever wonder how people survive the coronavirus? In this essay, I will be talking about covid vaccines. Covid vaccines are important because they can help stop the spread of covid. There are many types of covid vaccines, all of which were developed differently and come with different risks. I will be explaining the types of vaccines, when and how they were developed, and the side effects. I will also explain the different proteins used to develop vaccines.
The three main types of vaccines are Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson and Johnson. Pfizer vaccines are important because they can help people survive the virus. People of ages 5 and older are eligible for the Pfizer vaccine (CDC 10). People who get the Pfizer vaccine will be fully vaccinated within 3-8 weeks after “2 shots in the primary series” (CDC 2). Pfizer is an mRNA vaccine (CDC 4). The shot is given “in the muscle of the upper arm” (CDC 5). A booster shot should be given to anyone who is at least 12 years old “who received a Pfizer-BioNTech primary series” (CDC 3).
As opposed to Pfizer, one must be a legal adult in order to be eligible for the Moderna vaccine. Moderna is essential because it can help prevent infection in a person and lowers the chances of death. Anyone considered a legal adult is eligible for the Moderna vaccine (CDC 9). In 4-8 weeks after “2 shots in the primary series” anyone will be fully vaccinated with the Moderna vaccine (CDC 2). Moderna is an mRNA vaccine (CDC 4). The shot is given in the same muscle as Pfizer (CDC 5). If anyone is at least 18 years old and “received a Moderna primary series” they should get boosted (CDC 3).
Johnson and Johnson is vital because, like Pfizer and Moderna, it can also help stop the spread of covid and decrease the chance of dying. The ages eligible for the Johnson and Johnson vaccine are ages 18 and up (CDC 5). It usually takes just one shot of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine for a person to be fully vaccinated (CDC 4). The Johnson and Johnson vaccine is a viral vector (CDC 3). The shot is given in the same muscle as Pfizer and Moderna (“the upper arm”) (CDC 6). The people who should get boosted are those 18 years of age or older “at least 2 months” once they get the Johnson and Johnson vaccine (CDC 5).
Here’s how covid vaccines are developed. The first stage is the exploratory stage. The first step of development is to figure out the right antigen “of the pathogen to be included in the vaccine” (Rhodes 55). They will then have to “determine the best way to administer” the antigen (Rhodes 55). In the next stage, the preclinical stage, “tissue-culture techniques and animal studies” are used to determine “whether the candidate vaccine” will make its subject immune to the virus (Rhodes 55). The three Rs used in the principle scientists use are “replacement of laboratory animals”, “reduction of animals”, and “refinement of experiments” (Rhodes 55).
“In phase I trials,” up to 149 people receive the candidate vaccine to find out if it’s safe and effective, which “constitutes the primary endpoint of the study” (Rhodes 56). Scientists also use their chances “to determine potential efficacy” (Rhodes 56). The goals of phase II trials are to put efficacy in place and to send out more info “about safety”, the “immune response” quality initiated by the vaccine, “the immunization schedule, and the optimal dose” (Rhodes 57). The safety and potential efficacy of the candidate vaccine are measured by phase III trials (Rhodes 57). To put effectiveness in place in the markets they aim for, global pharmaceutical companies finance phase III trials (Rhodes 57). “The incidence of infections…in the vaccinated population compared with” those who don’t get vaccinated is what “the ultimate” vaccine efficacy test depends on (Rhodes 57). Areas with high infection rates are where “vaccine trials are best conducted. (Rhodes 57).
In the sixth and final stage of development, the vaccine goes through a regulatory review (Rhodes 58). A vaccine is approved if it “passes through all three phases of clinical trials” (Rhodes 58). A developer then “submits a Biologics License Application to regulatory authorities”, which are administered by “key organizations such as” the World Health Organization, the Food and Drug Administration, and the European Medicines Agency (Rhodes 58). Vaccines are then manufactured and distributed.
Here are the dates of development for the vaccines. I will also explain the ingredients for the vaccines. In May 2020, scientists first tested the covid vaccine on nine macaques for effectiveness (Rhodes 55). The Pfizer vaccine “became the first mRNA vaccine” that the US Food and Drug Administration ratified (Le Page 19).
Here are the ingredients for the Pfizer vaccine. mRNA is one of the ingredients (CDC 22). The lipids used to make the vaccine are “2[(polyethylene glycol (PEG))-2000]-N,N-ditetradecylacetamide”, “1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine”, cholesterol, and “((4-hydroxybutyl)azanediyl)bis(hexane-6,1-diyl)bis(2-hexyldecanoate)” (CDE 22). The lipids are meant to “help the mRNA enter cells”, which can transfer more genetic code from DNA to the ribosomes. (CDC 22). The salts and sugar in the vaccine are “dibasic sodium phosphate dihydrate”, “monobasic potassium phosphate”, “potassium chloride”, “sodium chloride”, and sucrose (CDC 22). These salts all stabilize the vaccine molecules until the vaccine is ready to be administered (CDC 22).
Here are the ingredients for the Moderna vaccine. mRNA is one of the ingredients (CDC 18). The lipids used to make the vaccine include “PEG2000-DMG: 1,2-dimyristoyl-rac-glycerol, methoxypolyethylene glycol”, “1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine”, BotaniChol, and “SM-102: heptadecane-9-yl 8-((2-hydroxyethyl) (6-oxo-6-(undecyloxy) hexyl) amino) octanoate” (CDC 18). These lipids are meant to get mRNA into the cells, thus increasing the genetic code from the nucleus carried to the ribosomes (CDC 18). The other ingredients in this vaccine are “sodium acetate”, sucrose, tromethamine, “tromethamine hydrochloride”, and “acetic acid” (CDC 18). These ingredients “help keep the vaccine molecules stable” until it is ready to be injected.
Here are the ingredients for the Johnson and Johnson vaccine. Unlike the two other types of vaccines, the Johnson and Johnson vaccine does not have mRNA. One of the ingredients is “a harmless version of a virus” that is not covid (CDC 21). This ingredient tells the body to construct a “harmless” covid protein, which is like an antibody (CDC 21). The other ingredients for this vaccine are “polysorbate-80”, “2-hydroxypropyl-ß-cyclodextrin”, “trisodium citrate dihydrate”, “sodium chloride”, “citric acid monohydrate”, and ethanol (CDC 21). The purpose of these ingredients is to stabilize the molecules in the vaccine until “it is ready to be given” to a person (CDC 21).
Lastly, I will explain the side effects of vaccines. A person might experience a soreness on the arm where the shot was given. A migraine might also occur the day after a person has been vaccinated, which usually only lasts for one day. There are also some “cardiovascular and hematological” side effects that people might experience (Al-Ali 3). These include “cardiac injury”, hemorrhage, “thrombotic events”, and thrombocytopenia (Al-Ali 4).
In conclusion, covid vaccines play a major role in increasing the chance of surviving covid. The ingredients in the vaccines can put cells on alert. The side effects usually don’t last longer than 24 hours.
Works Cited
Center for Disease Control. “Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine (also known as COMIRNATY) Overview and Safety.” 24 Mar. 2022, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/different-vaccines/Pfizer-BioNTech.html. Accessed 27 Mar. 2022.
Center for Disease Control. “Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine (also known as Spikevax) Overview and Safety.” 22 Mar. 2022, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/different-vaccines/Moderna.html. Accessed 27 Mar. 2022.
Center for Disease Control. “Johnson and Johnson’s Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine Overview and Safety.” 22 Feb. 2022, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/different-vaccines/janssen.html. Accessed 2 Apr. 2022.
Rhodes, John. How to Make a Vaccine. ProQuest Ebook Central, 12 Apr. 2021, https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/gsu/reader.action?docID=6476960&query=how+to+make+a+vaccine. Accessed 3 Apr. 2022
Le Page, Michael. “The future of medicine unlocked.” 16 Oct. 2021, https://eds.p.ebscohost.com/eds/detail/detail?vid=3&sid=d2c0bb17-ad33-46ef-bc03-c4295e8161c2%40redis&bdata=JkF1dGhUeXBlPWlwLHNoaWImc2l0ZT1lZHMtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#AN=153083325&db=fth. Accessed 3 Apr. 2022
Al-Ali, Dana, et al. “Cardiovascular and haematological events post COVID-19 vaccination: A systematic review.” 1 Feb. 2022, https://eds.p.ebscohost.com/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=4&sid=3e124b28-9946-4a4d-8b9c-4a1c1ba79297%40redis. Accessed 5 Apr. 2022