What You Need to Know About the Vaccine

The vaccination method, which many people have different ideas, has actually been the fastest treatment method with its discovery. It has helped the treatment of many diseases without further spread with the rapid vaccinations. In a sense, the vaccine is a solution prepared with the microbe or equivalent particles of the current disease, which is inactive or modified in order to increase the body’s own protection, and is given to the body by muscle, vein or mouth. Thanks to the simulation struggle experienced by the body, it will reveal the most effective defense in a real danger. As you can see in the Memorial publication, “One of the first known vaccines is the smallpox vaccine used in India around 1000 BC. In 1720, Lady Montagu brought the smallpox vaccine from Turkey to Europe. In the 1870-1880s, Louis Pasteur introduced vaccination with attenuated bacteria and viruses. Smallpox was eradicated and polio was greatly reduced in the 1970s, thanks to vaccination efforts.” Live and dead vaccines are available. Live vaccines contain modified, weakened bacteria or viruses. These vaccines do not cause disease, reproduce to a limited extent in the body and create immunity. BCG, polio, measles, rubella, mumps, chickenpox, yellow fever, typhoid vaccines are live vaccines. Dead vaccines contain vaccines of dead whole bacteria or whole virus or fragments thereof. Pertussis and cholera vaccines are vaccines of dead whole bacteria. The polio, hepatitis A, and flu vaccines are whole dead virus vaccines. Diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, meningococcal, typhoid, pneumococcal, Haemophilus influenzae B vaccines are particle vaccines.

Vaccination History

The first written records of vaccine use belong to the “Variolation” technique used by the Chinese in the 15th century. Variola is the name of the virus that causes smallpox. Variolation, a primitive grafting technique, had several different methods:

Crusts were taken from the wounds of the sick, powdered and given to the nose of the healthy person with a thin stick. In another variolation technique, rashes were taken from the patients, the skin of healthy people was rubbed by scratching and immunity was expected. This method, developed over time, spread from China to Central Asia and passed to the Caucasus. The Turks carried the technique they learned from the Chinese to the regions where they migrated. Lady Mary Montagu, the wife of the British Ambassador, witnessed the “variolation” method, which was also used in the Ottoman Empire, in 1721. He describes this method used in Istanbul against smallpox in a letter he wrote to the Pope and asks for permission to have his children do it. This letter is the oldest document regarding the vaccine, and the vaccine thus began to be applied in Europe and America. Variolation was the only known vaccine application until Edward Jenner developed the modern smallpox vaccine in 1789. 100 years later, Louis Pasteur discovers that the source of infectious diseases is microbes and does one of the greatest services to humanity by developing the rabies vaccine.

Thus, the adventure of vaccination, which started with variolation, develops with this great discovery, paving the way for the control of dozens of deadly diseases with vaccines. In 1892, a researcher named Laffnike developed the cholera vaccine, and in 1896 Wright developed the typhoid vaccine. The tuberculosis (tuberculosis) vaccine was produced by Calmette and Guerin in 1921, and the tetanus vaccine in 1927 by Ramon and Zoeller. Diphtheria, whooping cough, measles, mumps, meningitis are just some of the diseases that have been controlled by vaccines so far. Thanks to vaccines, 10 million people survive each year. Vaccines save more lives around the world than any advance in healthcare.

Biggest Outbreaks

– Plague epidemics killed a quarter of the population of Europe in 1346-1352.

– The Inca population in Mexico, which was 20 million in 1618, had decreased to 1.6 million due to smallpox.

– In 1779, Hawaii’s population fell from 500 thousand to 84 thousand due to typhoid fever.

– In the 1880s, 9 out of every 100 natives in Canada suffered from tuberculosis.

– After World War I, 21 million people died due to flu.

Covid 19 Vaccine Types

RNA Based Vaccines
Viral Vector Based Vaccines
Inactivated Vaccines
Live Vaccines
Subunit (Subunit) Vaccines

Vaccines have certain working principles. Among the Covid 19 vaccine types, four vaccines with a high success rate against Covid 19 were developed with two different methods.

Biontech and Moderna vaccines, developed based on RNA, work by using some of the RNA found in the virus.

Other vaccines, Sputnik V (Gamaleya) and Astrazeneca (Oxford), have been developed as viral vector-based. In other words, the genetic material taken from the virus is placed in another virus and injected into the body.

RNA-based vaccines are vaccines produced with new technology. The production of these vaccines can be carried out more quickly. However, it should be stored at lower temperatures (-20 to -70) compared to other vaccines. This is due to the variable structure of RNAs.

Viral vector-based vaccines, on the other hand, require living cells. For this reason, their requirements are greater. There is no harm in keeping it in normal coolers for a long time. In addition, these vaccines are sold at a cheaper price than RNA-based vaccines.

All Covid 19 vaccine types will be applied to humans twice, with an interval of 3-4 weeks. The underlying reason for this is that the amount of antibodies in the body begins to decrease after a while after the first vaccine is administered. With the second vaccine, it is ensured that the sufficient amount of antibody is exceeded and that it does not remain below this sufficient amount for a long time.

Biontech Vaccine

It was developed on an RNA-based basis by Biontech, a pharmaceutical company based in Mainz, Germany, chaired by Uğur Şahin and Özlem Türeci. The success rate against the Covid 19 virus has been announced as 90%. It draws attention as the first vaccine allowed for use in the USA, with an emergency use authorization issued by the FDA, that is, the US Food and Drug Administration. It can be applied to individuals over the age of 16 in the country.

Biontech vaccine, which is among the Covid 19 vaccine types, was first authorized to be used in the UK. Vaccination studies have started in the country. Another of the first countries to approve is Canada.

In order for the Biontech vaccine to last for a long time without spoiling, it must be kept at a temperature of -70 degrees.

Moderna Vaccine

Like the Biontech Vaccine, the Moderna vaccine has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Developed with RNA-based technique. According to the data announced by the company, a success rate of 95% is achieved. 90 people in the placebo group were infected with coronavirus. On the other hand, only 5 of those in the group that received 2 doses of effective vaccine were infected with coronavirus. It has also been explained that even if the coronavirus is caught, it reduces the severity of complications that occur during the disease. Severe coronavirus complications have not been observed in people who have received effective vaccines. Despite the 90% success of the Biontech vaccine, it seems to be one step ahead with its 95% success rate. In order for the Moderna vaccine to last for a long time without spoiling, it must be kept at -20 degrees Celsius.

Astrazeneca Vaccine

The success of the vaccine, which was developed by the partnership of Oxford University and Astrazeneca as a viral vector, was announced as 70 percent. While the success rate was measured as 62 percent in a group given two full doses, this rate was measured as 90 percent in another group given half and full doses, respectively. Finally, based on the average of the two tests, the success rate was measured as 70 percent.

This vaccine, which has a low success rate compared to Biontech and Moderna, which are among the Covid 19 vaccine varieties, is an important alternative due to its low price. Side effects of the Astrazeneca vaccine may include some symptoms such as flu, body aches; however, it has been declared to be a safe vaccine. Normal cooling devices are sufficient for the Astrazeneca vaccine to last for a long time without spoiling.

Sputnik V Vaccine

It has been announced that the Sputnik V vaccine, developed by Russia, has a success rate of 92 percent. It was developed in conjunction with the viral vector technique. It will be used in many countries, especially in Russia. Belarus was the first foreign country to approve this vaccine. Afterwards, Kazakhstan approved the production of this vaccine. Normal cooling devices are sufficient for the Sputnik V vaccine to last for a long time without spoiling. The head of Russia’s RDIF (Russian Direct Investment Fund) stated that this vaccine developed against Covid 19 will be much more affordable than other vaccines.

Sinovac (CoronaVac) Vaccine

It was developed by Chinese scientists using the viral vector technique. The success rate of this vaccine, which is produced more slowly than vaccines developed with the RNA-based technique, has been described as over 50%.

Sinovac vaccine, which is among the Covid 19 vaccine types, has been applied to many healthcare workers while it was still approved in China. This has brought about a lot of controversy. The effect of this vaccine, which started to be used in our country after the 14-day test phase, will be revealed in the coming days. Like vaccines produced with other viral vector techniques, it can easily remain in normal cooling devices for a long time without deterioration.

Sinopharm Vaccine

Another Chinese vaccine, the Sinopharm vaccine, was developed with a viral vector. The success rate of this vaccine was announced as 79 percent. A success rate of 86 percent was achieved in the tests performed on volunteers in the United Arab Emirates, and it was approved for use across the country. Peru, another country that tests this vaccine, has announced that the tests were suspended for a while because a subject experienced serious side effects.

Side Effects After COVID-19 Vaccine

To date, there have been serious problems in both clinical studies and current vaccine applications for COVID-19 vaccines.

No side effects were found. Side effects after vaccination are often mild.

These; These are mild side effects such as fatigue, headache, fever, chills, muscle/joint pain, vomiting, diarrhea, pain in the injection area, redness and swelling. However, without ignoring the possibility of allergic reactions, although rare, it should not be forgotten that in case of discomfort after vaccination, it is necessary to apply to the nearest health institution and inform the physician that you have recently been vaccinated.

References:”https://www.trthaber.com/haber/saglik/asinin-tarihine-kisa-yolculuk-540152.html”
Access Date 23.06.2021

References:”https://www.koruhastanesi.com/covid-19-asi-cesitleri-2688-5″
Access Date: 23.06.2021

References: “https://covid19asi.saglik.gov.tr/TR-77708/covid-19-asisi-cesitleri.html”
Access Date: 23.06.2021