India will soon get the other two vaccines from the US, which would be the first mRNA vaccines for India and there are some serious confusions on what these vaccines are and their possible side effects.
I am daring to take the bull by its horns and attempting to explain these two vaccines and their side effects.
Pfizer & Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine
Both Pfizer & Moderna COVID-19 vaccine is a two-dose vaccine to prevent COVID-19 and unlike CoviShield, Covaxin and other vaccines, these two are associated with mRNA. The doses are administered 28 days apart, and the vaccine trains the immune system to fight against future infections with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued an authorization for people in the United States aged 18 or older. Earlier this week Pfizer got its clearance to administer its vaccine to 12-to-17-year old’s too and the vaccination to this age group has already started. The vaccine has also been authorized for use across the European Union after a recommendation by the European Medicines Agency, as well as in Canada and the United Kingdom. Clinical trials data show that the vaccine has an efficacy of 94.1% at preventing symptomatic COVID-19.
What is DNA & RNA
Deoxyribonucleic Acid, more commonly known as DNA, is a complex molecule that contains all the information necessary to build and maintain a living organism. All living things have DNA within their cells. In fact, nearly every cell in a multicellular organism possesses the full set of DNAs required for that organism.
However, DNA does more than specify the structure and function of living things, it also serves as the primary unit of heredity in organisms of all types. In other words, whenever organisms reproduce, a portion of their DNA is passed along to their offspring. This transmission of all or part of an organism's DNA helps ensure a certain level of continuity from one generation to the next, while still allowing for slight changes that contribute to the diversity of life.
The information in DNA is stored as a code made up of four chemical bases: adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine (C), and thymine (T). Human DNA consists of about 3 billion bases, and more than 99 percent of those bases are the same in all people. The order, or sequence, of these bases determines the information available for building and maintaining an organism, similar to the way in which letters of the alphabet appear in a certain order to form words and sentences.
DNA bases pair up with each other, A with T and C with G, to form units called base pairs. Each base is also attached to a sugar molecule and a phosphate molecule. Together, a base, sugar, and phosphate are called a nucleotide. Nucleotides are arranged in two long strands that form a spiral called a double helix. The structure of the double helix is somewhat like a ladder, with the base pairs forming the
ladder’s rungs and the sugar and phosphate molecules forming the vertical sidepieces of the ladder.
An important property of DNA is that it can replicate or make copies of itself. Each strand of DNA in the double helix can serve as a pattern for duplicating the sequence of bases. This is critical when cells divide because each new cell needs to have an exact copy of the DNA present in the old cell.
Ribonucleic Acid (RNA) is a molecule similar to DNA, but unlike DNA, RNA is single-stranded. An RNA strand has a backbone made of alternating sugar (ribose) and phosphate groups. Attached to each sugar is one of four bases--adenine (A), uracil (U), cytosine (C), or guanine (G). RNA, in one form or another, touches nearly everything in a cell. RNA carries out a broad range of functions, from translating genetic information into the molecular machines and structures of the cell to regulating the activity of genes during development, cellular differentiation, and changing environments.
On the basis of molecular size and function, there are many types of RNA, the three most well-known and most commonly studied are messenger RNA (mRNA), transfer RNA (tRNA), and ribosomal RNA (rRNA), which are present in all organisms. These and other types of RNAs primarily carry out biochemical reactions, similar to enzymes. Some, however, also have complex regulatory functions in cells. Owing to their involvement in many regulatory processes, to their abundance, and to their diverse functions, RNAs play important roles in both normal cellular processes and diseases.
Messenger RNA (mRNA) carries the genetic code from DNA in a form that can be recognized to make proteins. The coding sequence of the mRNA determines the amino acid sequence in the protein produced.
Ribosomal RNA (rRNA) is the catalytic component of the ribosomes. In the cytoplasm, rRNAs and protein components combine to form a nucleoprotein complex called the ribosome which binds mRNA and synthesizes proteins (also called translation).
Transfer RNA (tRNA) is a small RNA chain of about 80 nucleotides. During translation, tRNA transfers specific amino acids that correspond to the mRNA sequence into the growing polypeptide chain at the ribosome.
mRNA Vaccine Characteristics
The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and the Moderna vaccine are an mRNA vaccine. While these two are the first mRNA vaccines to be authorized for use in humans, scientists have been researching this technology for many years.
How does an mRNA vaccine function: the mRNA provides the body with genetic information to produce viral or bacterial proteins, in this case, the spike protein found on the surface of SARS-CoV-2. These proteins trigger an immune response and the production of specific antibodies, preparing the body to fight off an infection if it comes into contact with the pathogen in the future.
The vaccine only carries the information needed to make a small part of the virus. It does not contain the SARS-CoV-2 virus, and it cannot cause COVID-19.
Enzymes in our cells quickly degrade the mRNA molecules in the vaccine once the spike protein has been made. What many people think that mRNA changes or alters our DNA or creates some sort of malfunction of our DNA, which would have a long-term adverse effect on us, or it causes Neurodegenerative Diseases like Alzheimer’s or Dementia, etc. this is not true. It is not possible for the mRNA vaccine to alter the body’s genetic information.
Common Side Effects
The FDA’s fact sheet for this vaccine lists the following general side effects. Also, they shared the percentages of frequency reported in phase 3 clinical trial data:
- Fatigue (70%)
- Headache (64.7%)
- Muscle pain (61.5%)
- Joint pain (46.4%)
- Chills (45.4%)
- Nausea and vomiting (23%)
- Fever (15.5%)
The clinical trials found that side effects were more commonly reported after the second dose and lasted around 2–3 days.
Recipients also reported the following injection site reactions:
- Pain (92%)
- Swelling (14.7%)
- Swelling of armpit lymph nodes, specifically (19.8%)
- Redness (10%)
People who have had other authorized COVID-19 vaccines like CoviShield and Covaxin have also reported these side effects.
Among recipients of mRNA vaccines, however, there have been more frequent reports of these side effects from people who have had the Moderna vaccine. The study states that after the second dose, 82% of Moderna vaccine recipients reported injection site reactions, compared with 69% of Pfizer vaccine recipients.
There have also been reports of people experiencing a red, itchy, swollen, or painful rash at the injection site. Known as “COVID arm” the rash can appear several days after the vaccination.
Allergies and Anaphylaxis
Allergic reactions, severe and otherwise, have been reported as possible side effects of the vaccine, as a response to certain ingredients in the vaccine.
Anaphylaxis, a severe allergic reaction, is a rare side effect of vaccination. Out of 7,581,429 Moderna vaccine doses administered, there have been 19 reports of anaphylaxis, fewer than 3 cases per million.
The vaccine fact sheet lists the following potential symptoms of a severe allergic reaction:
- Difficulty in breathing
- Swelling of the face and throat
- Rapid heartbeat
- Rash all over the body
- Dizziness
- Weakness
Like the Pfizer vaccine, the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine contains an ingredient called polyethylene glycol (PEG), which has raised concerns regarding its potential to induce an allergic reaction.
PEG, which is commonly found in laxatives, works in the vaccine as a protective coating for the mRNA molecule as it enters cells. It is still unclear whether PEG is the cause of the reported allergic reactions or whether the concentration of PEG in the vaccine is enough to cause a reaction.
It is worth noting that a PEG allergy is extremely rare. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), anyone with a history of an allergic reaction to PEG should not get an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine and should speak to their doctor about an alternative.
Dermal Fillers
Moderna reported three cases of lip or facial swelling in clinical trial participants who had previously had a dermal filler cosmetic injection. The company said that the reactions were likely related to vaccination.
A possible explanation for this side effect is that the spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which the mRNA helps the body to produce, interacts with regions around the dermal filler and induces an inflammatory response.
The CDC report that “Infrequently, people who have received dermal fillers might experience swelling at or near the site of filler injection (usually face or lips) following administration of a dose of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine.”
Hence, people who have dermal fillers can have mRNA COVID-19 vaccines but that they should contact a healthcare professional if they experience any swelling after the vaccination.
So, as I conclude this blog post of mine, I hope to have cleared unwarranted doubts about mRNA vaccines and what side effects should be expected.
Lastly, this Coronavirus is not going anywhere, and we have to live with it for an unseeable future. Vaccines are one way to protect us from getting severe infection. Yes, soon we would have better medicines to treat the infection, but till that happens, get vaccinated. It doesn't matter which vaccine you take; they all provide a certain degree of protection. No vaccine would guarantee 100% protection, because as the COVID-19 virus is mutating, so are the developments and studies on these vaccines.
As the adage goes, “Precaution Is Better Than Cure”.
Get Vaccinated and Follow All The COVID-19 Safety Protocols.
Stay Safe
Stay Healthy
Maintain Social Distance and Mask Up.
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