Benefits of Covid-19 Vaccine

With more than a year passed and 441 million deaths due to the coronavirus, people had been looking forward to the invention of a vaccine for the virus with great longing. Now, with the advent of the Covid-19 vaccine by companies like Pfizer and Moderna, people have started getting themselves and their loved ones vaccinated as per the World Health Organization recommendations. But many people today still fear the side effects of the vaccine and ponder on whether the vaccine’s benefits outweigh being non-vaccinated. So many are still reluctant to get themselves vaccinated.
After many statistical analyses and research, it has been recorded in data the benefits of the vaccine and its shortcomings. There are three major covid-19 vaccines available in the market in the USA which are Pfizer, Moderna (both of which are mRNA vaccines), and Johnsons-Johnsons DNA vaccine.

How the Vaccine Works:
The mRNA vaccines contain a small piece of mRNA that causes the body cells to produce antigens, small proteins. These antigens are recognized by the immune system of the body as harmful so the body’s immune system makes molecules of host defense against these. These are called antibodies. The antibodies are the core molecules of immunity and defense and give your body the strength to fight the covid-19 symptoms1.

Risks:
The coronavirus also triggers the production of the same antibodies the vaccine does, but the greater amount of antibody production and immune reactions make the body sick. Therefore, the diseases associated with virus infection like Guillain-Barré syndrome, myocarditis, and immune thrombocytopenia are less likely to occur with the vaccine dosing and are mild.
There is also a risk of anaphylaxis, a life-threatening allergic reaction, associated with the covid-19 vaccines.
The pain and swelling in the area of vaccine administration are the commonest of the risks.

Benefits of the Vaccine:
Once you’re exposed to the vaccine, which is somewhat like the actual virus, you’ll at most experience the mild symptoms of the Covid infection and recover in a few days. This will leave your immune system equipped with antibodies that will protect your body from a sudden and unexpected Covid-19 infection. The body will already be prepared to tackle the virus before it harms your body. If you’re unvaccinated the body would take time in producing the antibodies for defense and while it does that, the virus would already have damaged your body greatly. Therefore, it’s better to get yourself ready and equipped with the vaccine to strengthen your immune system.
Do the Benefits Outweigh the Risks?
The benefit of vaccines can be shown from the facts that:
99% of the people who are dying from Covid-19 are unvaccinated2.
From December 14, 2020, to January 18, 2021, after administration of the Pfizer vaccine 4.7 cases per million doses of anaphylaxis were reported. For Moderna, 2.5 cases per a million doses have been reported. Of all cases, 0 deaths occurred showing the minimal risk of anaphylaxis with vaccination3.
Only one case was reported of Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS) after 187 million US people received 1st dose of the J&J vaccine as of July 22, 20214.
As of June 30, 2021, 3 cases per million doses of the J&J vaccine have been reported of TTS, a total of 38 cases/ 12.6 million doses. Of the total 4 died. Females aged 30-49 were the most affected5.
The risks of myocarditis and Guillain-Barré are too low showing the benefits of the vaccine greatly outweigh the risks.
Thus, to keep others and yourself safe, to keep your newborn or unborn safe6, and to help get rid of the virus pandemic, it is beneficial that you get yourself vaccinated today!

References:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/different-vaccines/mrna.html
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/press-briefings/2021/07/16/press-briefing-by-white-house-covid-19-response-team-and-public-health-officials-45/
Shimabukuro TT, Cole M, Su JR. Reports of Anaphylaxis After Receipt of mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines in the US—December 14, 2020-January 18, 2021. JAMA. 2021;325(11):1101–1102. doi:10.1001/jama.2021.1967
Shay, D. K., Gee, J., Su, J. R., Myers, T. R., Marquez, P., Liu, R., Zhang, B., Licata, C., Clark, T. A., & Shimabukuro, T. T. (2021). Safety Monitoring of the Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) COVID-19 Vaccine – United States, March-April 2021. MMWR. Morbidity and mortality weekly report, 70(18), 680–684. https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7018e2
Rosenblum HG, Hadler SC, Moulia D, et al. Use of COVID-19 Vaccines After Reports of Adverse Events Among Adult Recipients of Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) and mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines (Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna): Update from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices — United States, July 2021. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2021;70:1094-1099.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7032e4external icon.
https://www.acog.org/news/news-releases/2021/07/acog-smfm-recommend-covid-19-vaccination-for-pregnant-individuals