We are coming up on 1 year since Covid-19 has dramatically impacted our way of life. Masks are commonplace and in fact, it is odd to see someone without wearing one. We all have adapted the best we can and we are seeing our local numbers drop for positive cases. This is all fantastic news and signs that what we are doing is working.
We were fortunate enough to be eligible for the vaccine and as a group, didn’t hesitate to take it. This post is to hopefully help educate you and help you make an informed decision about whether or not you should take it.
The Pfizer and Moderna Vaccines are a testament to how fast and progressive medicine is currently moving. These vaccines are different from your standard flu shots and childhood vaccines. If you have read anything on them, you have seen the term “mRNA” in the description.
Viruses contain what is known as a “protein coat” or capsid. This is the part of the virus that allows the virus to attach to host cells (your cells) and contains specific proteins that allow it to take control of the host cells (your cells). By attaching to the cell, the virus takes over the host and changes it to help the virus reproduce and this is where we get sick.
Traditional vaccines have used a weakened version of the virus or just a piece of the viral protein coat. This allows your immune system to be introduced to the virus and create a plan of attack.
mRNA vaccines are on the next level. They are taking the genetic makeup of the virus (in this case, Covid-19) and introducing it to your immune system. No dead virus, no weakened virus, just the necessary tools and information for your body to produce a specific plan of attack if it encounters the virus. Your body will build an attack plan of both antibodies and immune system killer cells.
People worry that the vaccine was produced so quickly, and we don’t know if it’s safe. This mRNA technology has been in the works for nearly 30 years and Covid-19 gave us the push we needed to utilize it.
As far as side effects, I can only share what we experienced as a group. First shot, not much to report other than some headaches and some GI distress. Second booster shot, we have a few people who had low grade fevers and chills, a few experienced body aches, and a few had headaches and GI issues. Everything started about 4-5 hours after the second shot and lasted 24-36 hours and then was gone. No one has developed superhuman strength, invisibility, or the ability to fly yet but we are all hopeful.
I encourage you to do you own research and make your decision. Here is a good resource from Harvard Medical that is a great starting place. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/why-are-mrna-vaccines-so-exciting-2020121021599
Take care and we hope to see you all soon (if you need us of course😊)
-Danny Laughlin