Understanding mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines Show
mRNA vaccines are a new type of vaccine to protect against infectious diseases. Learn about how COVID-19 mRNA vaccines work. The Immune System—The Body’s Defense Against InfectionTo understand how vaccines work, it helps to first look at how the body fights illness. When germs, such as bacteria or viruses, invade the body, they attack and multiply. This invasion, called an infection, is what causes disease. The immune system uses your white blood cells to fight infection. These white blood cells consist primarily of macrophages, B-lymphocytes and T-lymphocytes:
The first time the body is infected with a certain germ, it can take several days for the immune system to make and use all the tools needed to fight the infection. After the infection, the immune system remembers what it learned about how to protect the body against that disease. If your body encounters the same germ again, the T-lymphocytes recognize the familiar germ and the B-lymphocytes can produce antibodies to fight off infection. How Vaccines WorkVaccines can help protect against certain diseases by imitating an infection. This type of imitation infection, helps teach the immune system how to fight off a future infection. Sometimes, after getting a vaccine, the imitation infection can cause minor symptoms, such as fever. Such minor symptoms are normal and should be expected as the body builds immunity. Once the vaccinated body is left with a supply of T-lymphocytes and B-lymphocytes that will remember how to fight that disease. However, it typically takes a few weeks for the body to produce T-lymphocytes and B-lymphocytes after vaccination. Therefore, it is possible that a person infected with a disease just before or just after vaccination could develop symptoms and get that disease, because the vaccine has not had enough time to provide protection. While vaccines are the safest way to protect a person from a disease, no vaccine is perfect. It is possible to get a disease even when vaccinated, but the person is less likely to become seriously ill. Types of VaccinesScientists take many approaches to developing vaccines. These approaches are based on information about the diseases the vaccine will prevent, such as how germs infect cells, how the immune system responds to it, regions of the world where the vaccine would be used, the strain of a virus or bacteria and environmental conditions. Today there are five main types of vaccines that infants and young children receive in the U.S.:
Vaccines Require More Than One DoseThere are four reasons that babies—and even teens or adults—who receive a vaccine for the first time may need more than one dose:
The Bottom LineVaccines are the safest way to protect against certain diseases and prevent serious illness. Natural infections can cause severe complications and be deadly. This is true even for diseases that many people consider mild, like chickenpox. It is impossible to predict who will get serious infections that may lead to hospitalization or even death. That is why vaccines are the best way to protect your child. Talk to your child’s provider to make sure they are up to date on all recommended vaccines. Adapted from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseasesexternal icon. For more information on vaccines call 800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636) or visit https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines. What type of immunity develops after receiving a vaccine?Active Immunity - antibodies that develop in a person's own immune system after the body is exposed to an antigen through a disease or when you get an immunization (i.e. a flu shot). This type of immunity lasts for a long time.
Is a vaccine active or passive immunity?Vaccines contribute to active immunity by providing us with a controlled way to create an immune response. When a vaccine is introduced, our immune system treats it like any other exposure.
What is active and passive immunity?A prominent difference between active and passive immunity is that active immunity is developed due to the production of antibodies in one's own body, while passive immunity is developed by antibodies that are produced outside and then introduced into the body.
What is an example of passive immunity?A type of immunity that occurs when a person is given antibodies rather than making them through his or her own immune system. For example, passive immunity occurs when a baby receives a mother's antibodies through the placenta or breast milk.
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