It’s time to get shot! Nearly 12.5 billion vaccines have been administered around the world for the COVID-19 pandemic. This number accounts for a fraction of the vaccines that people have received over the last few years.
There are many types of vaccines you can receive, so many that vaccine technology can be a little confusing. Before you get vaccines, you should understand how vaccine science works.
What are the most popular types of vaccines? How do vaccines work, and what are the benefits of vaccines? What vaccines should you take if you are immunocompromised?
Answer these questions and you can take charge of your immune system. Here is your quick guide.
Live Vaccines
As the name suggests, live vaccines contain small amounts of a live virus. Vaccine manufacturers weaken and alter the virus so it does not cause illness. Your immune system responds to the virus and develops antibodies that will fight off infection.
Live vaccines are extremely effective. Most people only need one or two doses during their whole lives to have immunity.
However, immunocompromised people may experience side effects from them. If you have a weakened immune system, you should talk to your doctor before getting a live vaccine. Keep in mind that most live vaccines are safe for anyone to use, and they offer substantial benefits for years to come.
Live vaccines include vaccines for chickenpox, measles, and rubella. Most people receive these vaccines when they are children. If you have not gotten them yet, you can get them as an adult.
Inactivated Vaccines
Inactivated vaccines contain viruses that are no longer alive. Your immune system still responds to them and produces antibodies that will fight off infections.
This means that inactivated vaccines offer limited protection. You may need several injections or boosters. But inactivated vaccines cause fewer side effects, making them safe for many people to use.
The most popular inactivated vaccine is the flu shot. You need a new flu shot every year, in part because the viruses that cause cases of flu change from year to year. You also need multiple Hepatitis A and rabies shots in order to have full protection.
Subunit Vaccines
Subunit vaccines rely on specific parts of a virus. A viral protein allows a virus to hijack cells and reproduce itself. If a vaccine contains the viral protein, your immune system can recognize it and respond to it before the virus reproduces.
Subunit vaccines are also called conjugate, recombinant, and polysaccharide vaccines. You can use these terms interchangeably, though most people prefer “subunit vaccines.”
They are not as effective as live vaccines. Some subunit vaccines offer only a few months of protection, as viruses mutate and develop new viral proteins. Yet people with weakened immune systems can receive them, and they can make future infections less severe.
COVID vaccines are subunit vaccines. Shots use the spike protein in the COVID-19 virus. Other examples include HPV and shingles shots.
Toxoid Vaccines
Germs create toxins when they infect you. A toxoid vaccine relies on toxins, not the germs themselves, to create infections. When a germ enters your body, your immune system responds to the part of the germ that makes toxins.
This means that the germ may still be in your system. You will need booster shots to help your immune system if you develop an infection.
Toxoid vaccines can protect against diphtheria, tetanus, and other diseases. You can receive vaccines to fight off bacteria as well as viruses.
mRNA Vaccines
Messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) carries information about proteins from a cell’s nucleus into the cytoplasm. This allows a cell to make proteins that can respond to viruses.
mRNA vaccines contain mRNA, but not live viruses. They teach cells to create the proteins they need to fight off infections. This means that people with weak immune systems are less likely to develop side effects from vaccines.
mRNA vaccines are recent inventions in vaccine science, and scientists like Dr. Kenneth Chien are still developing them. But they may be able to treat diseases like the flu, rabies, and Zika virus.
Viral Vector Vaccines
Many viruses can cause the common cold and flu. It is impossible to account for all of these viruses, but developing immunity to one virus can help you develop immunity to many of them.
Viral vector vaccines use a modified version of one virus to provide protection against other viruses. In a flu shot, you may receive a weakened adenovirus. You will be immune to this particular virus and you will have antibodies that can help with other viruses.
Some COVID vaccines are viral vector ones. You should get a viral vector shot if you’re worried about an overreaction to the subunit vaccine. The most popular viral vector COVID vaccine is made by Johnson & Johnson.
You may need additional shots in order to have complete protection. People who have taken Johnson & Johnson will need boosters so their immune systems are up to date.
The Many Types of Vaccines
You need to figure out the different types of vaccines. Live vaccines have weakened variants of live viruses while inactivated vaccines have dead viruses. Both offer effective protection against many viruses, including ones that cause the flu.
Subunit and toxoid vaccines protect against specific parts of germs. Though these vaccines are not as effective, they can be helpful for immunocompromised people. mRNA and viral vector vaccines are recent vaccines that also offer partial protection.
If you have questions about vaccines, keep doing your research. Read vaccine guides by following our coverage.
