This will be a lecture packed with the process vaccine developers must go through; which includes a preclinical phase and phases I-III. Including information about OPERATION WARP SPEED and how this has expedited the normally lengthy vaccine process.
We will then discuss how Moderna, Pfizer/BioNTech, and Astrazeneca vaccines work in the human body, preventing the SARS-CoV-2 virus and hopefully, ending this global pandemic.
Finally– Zach presents on all of the most current data that each of the vaccine companies have released outlining the vaccine procedure and how it will be administered, the vaccine efficacy (as a percentage), optimal storage temperature of the vaccine in order to remain viable, and the number of vaccine units these companies are capable of producing.
IMPORTANT INFO (MUST READ):
One thing to emphasize that wasn’t harped on enough from this lecture is when these vaccines lead to an immunogenic reaction as we described above, which leads to formation of Memory B cells and Memory T cells. This is important because if we are exposed to the virus those memory cells are now primed and able to recognize and mount a powerful immune response against the virus.
LASTLY, one additional point and clarification is when those cytotoxic T cells produce destructive molecules that damage host cells it’s important to realize that those are memory cytotoxic T cells primed by the Vaccine that damage host cells that ARE INFECTED with the SARS-COV-2 virus, NOT CELLS processing the vaccine.
Big Takeaway:
- Vaccine stimulates antibody production to protect against virus IF INFECTED.
- Vaccine stimulates development of memory T and B cells to protect against virus IF INFECTED.
