(University of Alabama at Birmingham)
More than 350k lives were lost in the United States in the year 2020 alone. SARS-CoV-2 belongs to a vast and diverse family of viruses called coronaviruses, which created ravages of COVID-19 worldwide. Out of this terrible crisis, mRNA vaccine technology proved to be a ray of hope by revolutionizing how infectious and dictated the future of healthcare across the world. The development journey of mRNA Technology dates back to the late 20th century when scientists began exploring the potential of messenger RNA instructing cells for the production of a given protein. The idea lay dormant, only to be put into action by the green light from the dire need for a COVID-19 vaccine, with BioNTech and Pfizer leading the way, followed by Moderna, the first mRNA vaccines licensed for emergency use against COVID-19" (Centers for Disease Control and prevention). This vaccine prevented the estimated deaths of 14.1 million (National Library of Medicine). The efficiency of mRNA vaccine came into reality because of decades of prior research and cooperation globally. Traditional vaccine development often takes years, however the first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine hit the market in less than a year. Vaccines work with a piece of the genetic code of the virus; they will make your body produce antibodies. The cells use this mRNA for the production of the spike protein and the immune system identifies it as something foreign, antigen, and mounts a defense, antibodies'. This primes the immune system when it sees the virus to react quickly.(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). mRNA vaccines have some advantages over traditional vaccines, too.
The mRNA platform is faster to develop and manufacture, can be readily adapted to address new variants, and they are relatively cheap compared to its competitor (University of Utah Health). The clinical trials revealed that the mRNA vaccines were vastly effective in preventing COVID-19. For example, the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was found to have an efficacy rate of about 95% in preventing symptomatic infection. Real world data has also borne this out, It alone managed to emphasize that vaccines have directly offered a lead role in reducing infection rates, hospitalizations, and now deaths. Data from reduced infection rates, hospitalizations, and deaths can support its efficiency by providing more data. Extensive safety profile monitoring of the mRNA vaccines was also done. Although its common side effects are pain at the injection site, fever, or fatigue, they turn out to be very mild of intensity and short duration. Rare serious side effects like myocarditis are reported but the benefits of vaccination far outweigh these risks. (World Health Organization) Massive deployment of the mRNA vaccines has prevented a significant decline in COVID-19 cases, severity, and mortality. In heavily vaccinated countries, for example, Cuba and Japan (Statista) this has led to a significant easing in pressure on healthcare systems and society has been able to successfully return to normal. The mRNA vaccines have definitely helped to control the viruses.
By diminishing the amount of people vulnerable to the virus, the vaccines contributed to herd immunity: a slower and reduced viral transmission rate. This is of importance for the protection of vulnerable populations that cannot be vaccinated. Although concerns about variants and emerging variants of SARS-CoV-2 are not yet completely dismissed, the flexibility of mRNA technology allows modification of the vaccines at incredible speed to counter new strains and, therefore ensures effectiveness and protection against the ever-changing virus.
Global vaccine equity has been launched through initiatives such as COVAX, which has the core principle of giving access to vaccines to civilians irrespective of income. According to research by the Lancet, challenges on the ground about distribution and infrastructure still exist in the developing world despite the good work done by these initiatives. Policy and infrastructure decision makers at all levels should institute approaches that enable equitable distribution of vaccines while contributing to the global health infrastructure. This includes investments in manufacturing capabilities, more enhanced health care delivery systems, and cold chain coordination so that the vaccines are delivered to the remotest corners of the world. The investments that are needed are for the sustainable funding of mRNA research so that continuous development of this technology keeps happening. Public-Private partnership can make this happen in terms of rapid innovation and rapid development of vaccines when future health emergencies strike. Public Health Strategies - Major public health campaigns are needed to deal with vaccine hesitancy, ensuring high uptake of vaccinations. It involves transparent communication about Benefits and safety of vaccines can raise public confidence. There is a great need for education regarding vaccination to stop misinformation.
The efficacy of the mRNA vaccines against COVID-19 heralds a new frontier in vaccinology and medicine in general. mRNA technology is being investigated for a host of other applications, including cancer. It is a relatively novel and emerging field of immunotherapy that has a potential to act as treatment for glioblastoma, the most common form of brain cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute. The investment in sustainable vaccine development serves as insurance that the world is more prepared to respond to current threats and emerging threats to health. The game-changing impact mRNA vaccines have made so far in the COVID-19 pandemic reflects how this next-generation technology is day by day changing health across the world. Taking full advantage of mRNA vaccines for a healthier future requires continued collaboration, investment, and research by all countries around the world.
Sources:
Sreenivas, S. & Sachdev, P. How mRNA Technology Works. WebMD (2024)https://www.webmd.com/vaccines/ss/slideshow-mrna-technology
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