Don’t be afraid to get vaccinated

Due to the great uncertainty in the general population regarding heterologous immunization schedules (i.e. the application of vaccines from different laboratories), some scientific data should be reviewed to reassure people about the plans being implemented.

Vaccination is a safe and effective way to protect against disease (one of the most important achievements of medicine in my opinion) by inoculating the individual with active immunogenic compounds (substances to which the body is able to respond) , by generating protective antibodies, cellular immunity or both.

As in all branches of science, the evolution of vaccine manufacturing has followed the same path. In this sense, the first were made using attenuated viruses in a very rudimentary way, reaching today the obtaining of vaccines using recombinant DNA, as well as using messenger RNA. , to generate the necessary protein that allows the body to generate humoral (antibody) and cellular immunity.

Now we must remember that both humoral and cellular immunity is highly specific and with great avidity towards a certain protein (or part of it) and not another, which allows the organism to react specifically against a virus, bacteria, etc. and not by yourself or against other viruses and / or bacteria.

This specificity with which our body reacts to a foreign agent (in this case, to Covid19) it increases exponentially if the individual has been previously vaccinated since an “immunological memory” is generated which allows him to react more quickly and more efficiently.

In the case of Covid-19, which is an RNA virus, every time it replicates it does so with errors, i.e. it incorporates mutations and says variants they can cause the formation of a virus incapable of continuing its replication and dissemination, as well as generate more virulent and infectious microorganisms. This is how the different variations arise that we see in the world today.

In the case of the delta strain, which holds the world in suspense, it is a variant of Covid-19 with specific mutations in the S protein (protein that gives the virus its spiculated appearance) which allows it to do two things :

1-binds with more affinity to the receptor found on pneumocytes (lung cells).

2- enter cells more easily because it presents a mutation which allows them to merge and enter more quickly.

Due to the above, the aim of completing the vaccination plans is to achieve the greatest diversity of antibodies and cellular immunity directed against specific proteins of the virus so that the body is able to react quickly to avoid moderate or severe forms of the disease.

Due to the shortage of some vaccines or some components (like the second component of Sputnik V), heterologous vaccination schedules are used (i.e. the combination of 2 vaccines).

Against this background, scientific evidence on safety and immunogenicity has shown that its efficacy is not inferior to traditional regimens.

When we talk about heterologous patterns, it is as an example to combine the first component of Sputnik V with a second dose of AstraZeneca or Moderna.

Of course, the ideal is to complete the regimen with the same vaccine that was initiated. But faced with the strong demand for vaccines that exist in the world, and having the possibility of supplementing the scheme with another vaccine that has been scientifically proven NO INFERIORITY response compared to previous diagrams; and considering that we have variants (like the delta strain) hitting the population; in a scientific and personal appreciation We strongly recommend that you do not be afraid to get vaccinated.

The possible side effects (as we discussed on another occasion) are much less compared to having the disease, which can lead to severe forms and even death.

It should be noted that every day, and with every strain that appears; Without mass vaccination, we will not eliminate this pandemic. Each vaccination protocol is thoroughly studied both nationally and globally before being applied to the population, so its benefit is invaluable.

* Andrés Varesco is a biochemist in charge of a series of laboratories, including one approved for Molecular Biology by the competent Sanitary Inspection authorities.