The Delicate Balancing Act of Covid-19 Vaccines

As vaccinations roll out by the tens of thousands to every state in the country, fearful citizens are lining up at clinics and spamming the refresh button on web sites. Demand is far outreaching supply at this point, and that will only continue unless the public loses trust in the vaccine or until the majority of the country is immunized. It may be months before it is known how effective the Covid-19 vaccine is, but side effects are already showing up.

In the very early days of the vaccine's release, it was reported that there were some severe allergic reactions. Fortunately, it turned out that the people reporting those reactions had a history of responses to many other drugs and vaccines. Something that perhaps should have been screened for.

Now, as hundreds of vaccines a day are being administered in thousands of sites across the country, the public must be warned about the possible side effects. Information is power, and a problem forwarned is a problem averted.

Many people are reporting that they feel very crappy for a few days and have severe soreness around the injection site. But the fact is that it confirms that the vaccine is working and is, of course, far better than the side effects of actually getting Covid-19. Flu-like symptoms, pneumonia, and even death, when weighed against having a sore arm and feeling yucky, is a no-brainer.

Most of the less severe symptoms of any flu or virus and all of the side effects of the Covid-19 vaccine are simply the body's way of dealing with invaders. And once your body has detected and dealt with a threat, it will build up an immunity to that particular threat. That is why any vaccine is particular to the microbe or pathogen it is designed to combat.

This system is the reason that two vaccines are being administered to combat Covid-19. Any vaccine works by injecting a minute amount of a safe version of the pathogen into the patient, which triggers the immune system. The body figures out how to fight that pathogen and kicks it out of your system. Besides developing a safe version of the pathogen, much of the testing determines the precise amount that will trigger the immune system but not overwhelm it and introduce the virus to the patient.

Then, after the body has had time to adjust to this new threat, a second dose of the same vaccine is given to the patient. Now, the body says, "Aha, I've seen this little guy before, and I know how to fight it." The immune system does so more effectively than the first dose. The result is a greater level of immunity to the virus.

It is a tricky balancing act and one that requires extensive testing. This is why it so amazing how quickly these Covid-19 vaccines got to market. The stronger the reaction a vaccine can stimulate in the body, the better the body will fight off future viruses. But too strong of a response is no better than actually contracting the virus itself.

Coupled with those problems is the fact that everyone's immune system is distinctive. And since it is impractical to concoct different and specific vaccines for individuals, a safe middle ground must be obtained. A vaccine that is both safe for the vast majority but will also trigger immunity in the same majority. This, in turn, will ultimately generate herd immunity, which will render the virus no more deadly than the usual seasonal flu.

The 90% effectiveness of the current Covid-19 vaccines shows that they are very potent. So the fact that, so far, it has been shown to be very safe is a miracle of modern pharmaceutical science.

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