Operation Covid : Fight The Pathogen
Your body is a wonderland, as John Mayer oh so accurately once crooned. He might not have been talking about your body’s immune system, but he was definitely on to something.
Your cells are a wondrous place full of intricate machinery, creating spectacles and embarking on adventures. The highs and the lows, the constant kerfuffle and placation, the exhilaration and exhalation, everything in your body is in constant flux. The notion that not only are we unravelling this complex, heavily intertwined network but also tweaking it to our own rhythm, baffles me. The extent to which we, as the human race, have discovered, overcome and accomplished, feels impossible to wrap my head around. Yet here we stand, tall and steadfast, ready to take on the next challenge.
THE WORLD WE LIVE IN
Covid-19, the challenge we have been facing for over a year now, has had the entire world at its mercy. It has brought out the best in people as well as the worst. All over the world, people have worked tirelessly towards a solution, resulting in the very first Covid-19 vaccine being approved for emergency use first by Britain on December 2, followed by Canada on December 9, Saudi Arabia on December 10 and USA on December 11, 2020. Despite initial trouble with vaccine distribution, it has steadily been reaching millions of people worldwide.
Unfortunately, not all who have the privilege to get a vaccine are actually going and getting it. Their unwillingness to vaccinate rising from a place of fear and having a handful of notes for an incomplete melody. And when the handful of mismatched notes elicit noise, instead of music, nobody will want to hear it, share it or even be associated to it. Having that full melody though and then being able to play it, listen to it, vibe with it, that’s a whole different experience.
I have always believed that knowledge is the most important tool to possess. You may have the means, skills and determination, but without the knowledge of how to put it to use it will all waste away. I hope I am able to hand over a few more notes, a Do Re Mi to add to your repertoire of knowledge. And maybe then you’ll hear a harmony instead of white noise.
YOUR BODY IS A FIGHTER
Your immune system is the military equivalent of a defense command structure for your body. Each cell and each protein have a strict code of conduct they follow. They are dispersed throughout the body, positioned in different military outposts, ready for rapid response when under attack by foreign invaders. There are two main branches of defense, the innate immune system and the adaptive immune system. The innate immune system is the body’s first line of defense. It is a non-specific response, meaning the mode of attack is not tailored to the invader’s strengths and weaknesses but is a general offensive strategy to disarm any enemy.
The front line includes :
§ Natural Killer (NK) cells, which release targeted toxic chemicals resulting in the disintegration of the infectious cell.
§ Macrophages, which engulf and destroy pathogens.
§ Neutrophils, the most abundant white blood cell, which can set traps to “catch” pathogens and use antimicrobial proteins or enzymes to then destroy them.
§ Eosinophils, which signal cytotoxic proteins to target large parasites and release inflammatory molecules. These molecules signal other white blood cells to be recruited, deploying the armada to the site of injury for battle.
§ Basophils, which engulf and invade foreign organisms in the body, respond to allergens, release inflammatory molecules and prevent blood clotting around site of injury.
This first line of defense is a more immediate response, whereas the Adaptive Immune System is the long-term plan of attack. Dendritic cells bridge the gap between the innate and adaptive immune system. They are the sentinels that engulf and process antigens. Antigens are molecular structures that are present on the exterior side of a pathogen that elicit an immune response. These antigen-presenting dendritic cells ring the alarm which signals and activates the adaptive immune response.
It takes time to “recognize” the pathogen and co-ordinate an effective pathogen-specific offensive strategy. This comprises of T-cells, B-cells and antibodies. T-cells include Helper T-cells, the general, that activates and regulates the adaptive immune response. They activate B-cells that then secrete antibodies and Cytotoxic T-cells that release cytotoxic granules to kill infectious cells. Once an infection is overcome, Memory T-cells form. They contain records of the defeated pathogen for future use, including the signals and responses our body employed to wipe it out.
YOUR BODY IS A SURVIVOR
Your immune system is constantly learning from its past hostilities and adapting for its future encounters. B-cells are responsible for producing antibodies, the SWAT team that swoops in, targets the specific pathogens and turns the tides in our favor. These B-cells can also become veteran memory cells with all the relevant information to combat a reinfection tucked inside, ready to be accessed when a threat resurfaces.
If your immune system is the military, then vaccines are the equivalent of a military drill. A simulation to prepare you for when the real enemy infiltrates your territory, in droves. A weakened or killed form of the pathogen is introduced into the body, the first “shot”. Your body then recognizes key characteristics of this pathogen, activates T-cells to execute “Operation: Fight The Pathogen” and develops target-specific antibodies to do so. Once this is embedded in the cells’ memory, if the pathogen ever dares to enter your body, the cavalry will be primed and armed, ready to exterminate!
PEOPE ARE SMART — OPERATION: FIGHT THE PATHOGEN
In case of the Covid-19 vaccine, there are a few currently in circulation. Even though the general principle remains the same, the specifics of how this counter-offensive tactical memory is established varies between vaccines.
Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna took a novel approach, becoming the first licensed vaccines of their kind. Scientists focused on the genetic sequence for the coronavirus “spike” protein. They packaged an instructional messenger RNA (mRNA) for it in a fatty nanoparticle to keep it safe during delivery. Once it enters a host cell, these instructions are delivered and the cell machinery constructs this viral protein which will serve as the antigen. Once these spikes protrude out of the vaccinated cell, it can then be spotted by the immune system. When this cell dies, its debris will contain the spike fragments as well. These spike fragments will be taken up by antigen presenting cells such as Dendritic cells, Macrophages, etc. that will then present the antigen outwards, a red flag for the Helper T-cells. Once they detect the antigen, the alarm gets triggered. Activated B-cells will begin producing antibodies that will target the spike proteins. Cytotoxic T-cells will begin a manhunt, or more appropriately a pathogen-hunt, for any cell with the protruding spike protein fragments. Your body will now have “WANTED” posters of the spike protein everywhere, and every Special Ops immune cell will be on high alert. Their sole purpose — seek, attack and destroy.
The first vaccine shot elicits a relatively mild response because of the weak viral load injected and begins the process of building up protection. The second dose reinforces these defenses. Once the fight is over and the enemy is defeated, the number of soldiers on active duty will decline. The number of antibodies and Cytotoxic T-cells will fall. Since this incident and the body’s response to it will be archived, Memory B-cells and Memory T-cells will act as the record keepers, learning from the past, vigilant for the future.
The Johnson and Johnson and Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines also send instructions for the coronavirus spike protein to the cells but using a different delivery method. They use a modified adenovirus as their delivery vessel. It is a common virus usually responsible for causing colds and flu-like symptoms. The modified version used is incapable of replicating its DNA or causing any illnesses. The gene for the coronavirus spike protein is inserted inside it. Once the vaccine is injected and enters a host cell the DNA strand gets released. The cell will be unable to read the modified adenovirus’ DNA, but can read the coronavirus DNA and build an appropriate mRNA. With this set of instructions, the cell machinery can then construct the spike proteins and trigger our immune response as described previously.
Same plan of attack. Same end game. Different tactical approach.
VIRUSES ARE ALSO SMART — OPERATION: KEEP FIGHTING
Virus’ are not one-dimensional and stagnant though. They have a thirst for survival and will continue to adapt to their environment to stay potent and alive.
The UK variant, the South African variant and the Brazilian variant, have all undergone mutations to allow changes to their spike protein. The “N501Y” mutation present in all three variants aids the virus’ infectivity. Thus, they are able to spread more easily. The “E484K” mutation present primarily in the South African and Brazilian variants are more concerning as it allows the virus to better elude the antibodies.
It does NOT mean the vaccine is ineffective! It means the efficacy is slightly lower when faced with these variants. However, just as the virus’ will continue to adapt, the vaccines will also have to continue to be tweaked to adapt with them. That is how the flu vaccine works every year, and that is how the coronavirus vaccine will work as well. It’s the circle of life.
BE HESITANT BUT MINDFUL. INFORMED AND RESPONSIBLE.
The concern among anti-vaccine supporters is that the vaccine is not safe. No fear is unfounded. There is always a chance that something will go wrong irrespective of how carefully you do things. This includes taking your dog out for a walk, going to the groceries, going for a drive and countless other daily errands. However, halting these errands out of fear will severely debilitate your quality of life. A lot of these activities are paused because of an increased risk due to Covid-19. Getting vaccinated will drastically reduce this risk you are constantly exposed to. All these consequences that the vaccines may have, Covid-19 has them too. And a lot more, at a more dangerous severity…
Every medication has probable side-effects and every medical procedure has potential risks. Similarly vaccines can also have possible side effects. This possibility does not make it unsafe. This minuscule possibility means due diligence has been done with complete honesty and transparency to ensure it is as safe as possible. It is benefitting your body, your health and that of your loved ones. It is reducing the chances that they will be at risk, that they will be in an unsafe condition. Anti-vaccine supporters are skeptical of its efficacy because of the speed at which it was developed. That speed is a testament to the human mind and work ethic. The transparency of information is available to confirm that all i’s were dotted and all t’s were crossed. Armed with this knowledge, make decisions that will be beneficial to your health and the health of those around you.
With all the chords in place, listen to the sound of music and not just the disjointed noises each note makes. The fear of getting vaccinated is what is unsafe, not the vaccine itself. Avoiding getting a vaccine is what is putting yourself and your loved ones in a constant high-risk situation, not the vaccine itself. So, why not get a vaccine that may or may not result in a rare consequence but will definitely prevent any severe cases of Covid-19? You know, the virus that will definitely cause a lot of harmful side-effects and also some of those rare ones too? Because if your body is a wonderland, treat it like one, John would.
Be John, be Alice, be the Cheshire cat. But don’t be the Queen of Hearts…
