SARS-Cov-2 or the novel CoronaVirus has taken the whole world by storm. Since it is a new virus, the scientific community and researchers worked lamp to post to develop the vaccine against the virus to fight the pandemic and enable a return to “normalcy”. After more than a year into the pandemic, there are multiple vaccines available in the market. Although it is still not proved that a vaccine would surely protect against the infection, the Doctors and Scientists claim that it considerably reduces the severity of the disease.
There have been concerning reports of reduced effectiveness of the vaccine against the new variants and mutants.
There are the following points to consider to understand how Covid Vaccine would work.
1.How does a Vaccine work?
A vaccine teaches your immune system to identify and resist the virus, once it enters the body. A vaccine mimics the functioning of spike protein in the virus to train your body cells to fight any possible attack. As your body fights the virus, it develops “memory T-cells” that retain the memory of this infection for the next time.
Thus, it prevents further multiplication of viruses and protects you from further spread to the lungs. Just as your body remembers what it experienced through the disease and builds up an immunity, a fully vaccinated person’s body performs in the same manner.
2. How long does it take for your body to develop antibodies once you get the COVID vaccine shot?
Once you get vaccinated, it takes a few days for your body to build up an immune response through antibodies. It is still important to keep using other tools like masks and social distancing to protect yourself from the infection. During this time your body reads the genetic material of the virus which is available in form of instruction manuals and it takes time for the body to complete this process. According to ICMR guidelines, it would take at least two weeks after the second dose to achieve full protection against the infection. This is how long it takes for your body to develop resistance against any future invasion by the virus.
3. Do you still need to wear a mask, after vaccination?
The discourse around Pandemic spread is as much about protecting others as it is about oneself. The efficacy trials of various COVID vaccines have shown their potential to protect against severe symptoms from occurring. But there is still a possibility that the person might still contract the infection and pass it on to family or friends. This means that even after getting both the jabs of vaccine, you might unintentionally spread it to someone who hasn’t been vaccinated so far or doesn’t have access to it. And the virus, as its nature dictates, is constantly mutating which threatens the credibility of a vaccine. Studies are still underway to find out whether available vaccines work against the emerging mutant or not.
So, don’t forget to double mask while stepping out of the home and be a responsible citizen.
4. Are COVID vaccines the only way out of this pandemic?
Soumya Swaminathan, WHO chief scientist while commenting on the current Pandemic situation has said, “Though there is light at the end of the tunnel road ahead is still dark and long.”
This light of vaccines is the only ray of hope to pull the world out of dormancy. Vaccines should be made available to each individual of the population because unless everyone is safe nobody is safe. The authorities are taking steps to ramp up vaccine production for equitable distribution
Until then, WHO has advised people to follow strict hand hygiene and double masking. It is said that there is a very low likelihood of virus spreading in open areas, but crowded areas need to be avoided to protect oneself.
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