In the past four and half years, our world has changed in ways we could never have imagined. COVID-19 forced us to find new ways to work, new ways to shop, new ways to live practically overnight. Information about the pandemic and the virus that caused it was constantly changing. It was nearly impossible to keep track of it all during our transition from in-person to remote lifestyles. This included information about vaccines.
Both the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines use mRNA technology in their vaccines to protect us from the spread of the disease. With more than 90% of New York City residents having at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, it’s important to understand what mRNA vaccines are and dispel common myths circulating about the vaccines because some people have unfounded concerns about what vaccine mRNA does in our bodies once injected.
What is mRNA?
This molecule is called messenger RNA (mRNA). It was first named in France in 1961. This molecule is found in all humans, and it is vital for our survival. It is made from our DNA, to help replicate the DNA in our cells by carrying information from one place to another, like a messenger. Without mRNA, we would not be able to make new cells to repair damaged ones, grow new cells, or replace old cells in our bodies. Dr. Jessica Tuan, an assistant professor and associate director of antivirals and vaccines research program at the Yale School of Medicine, told the Amsterdam News, “After the cells make a protein, the mRNA is broken down and does not alter the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA).”
This means that the mRNA in the vaccine falls apart harmlessly in our bodies once it has done its job and does not affect our own DNA later on, despite what some misinformed sources have falsely claimed.
How do vaccines use mRNA?
Just like our bodies use DNA and mRNA to store genetic information, viruses can use DNA or RNA for their own genetic information. The COVID-19 virus uses RNA to store its genetic information. When mRNA was first discovered in our cells, scientists began studying how the molecule could be used for medicinal purposes. In 2005, researchers found that a modified mRNA molecule could be injected into humans to deliver instructions to our cells without overwhelming an immune system.
After this breakthrough, many scientists began studying how mRNA could be used as a messenger to carry instructions that work as a vaccine against different diseases. In the 2010s, Moderna was working with the National Institutes of Health on developing an mRNA-based vaccine for a different form of coronavirus that laid the foundation for their rapid development of a COVID-19 mRNA vaccine when the pandemic hit.
“mRNA vaccines are more easily produced, relative to other vaccine platforms,” Tuan told the Amsterdam News. “Thus, production of new mRNA vaccines in response to other COVID-19 viral variants is easier to produce.”
Far from being a “new” or “rushed” type of vaccine, mRNA has been in development for decades, and how it can and cannot affect humans is well understood.
How exactly do mRNA vaccines work?
When an mRNA vaccine is injected, small amounts of genetic information from the COVID-19 virus are released into our blood. This genetic information lets our cells get to know portions of the virus and develop antibodies against it, so the next time we encounter the virus, our immune system can recognize it and fight it off. While you could still test positive for COVID-19 and experience COVID-19 symptoms after being vaccinated, this vaccine gives our immune system an advantage and helps prevent severe symptoms or death the next time we encounter COVID-10.
A recent study found that people vaccinated against COVID-19 had significantly lower incidences of severe acute infection one year after vaccination compared to those without the vaccine. This protection provided by the vaccine is similar to the ways in which other live and non-live vaccines work. Like the yearly flu vaccine, the COVID-19 mRNA vaccine does not guarantee that we will not contract COVID-19. However, both vaccinations for the flu and for COVID-19 decrease our chances of developing serious or severe health complications or symptoms.
What should you know about the COVID-19 mRNA vaccines?
A significant amount of misinformation is circulating about mRNA vaccines. Speak with your medical doctor or a trusted health professional to determine whether the vaccine is right for you.
Some individuals may not be aware that the initial mRNA COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials were 95% effective against symptomatic COVID-19, Tuan said via email. Because the process for COVID-19 mRNA vaccine approval was accelerated, some people were concerned that a complete review of safety and efficacy data was not done. However, that is not the case.
“Thorough review was performed by the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee and the Food and Drug Administration to authorize the COVID-19 mRNA vaccines available now,” Tuan wrote to the Amsterdam News.
In addition, Harvard immunologist Dr. Sara Fortune attested to the rigorous and comprehensive testing of the COVID-19 mRNA vaccines in clinical trials in an interview with the Harvard Chan School of Public Health’s podcast “Better Off.” Fortune said the vaccine had to be tested on “not just tens of thousands, but hundreds of thousands of people” during Phase 3 clinical trials. Just as all other available vaccines are thoroughly tested in clinical trials before being given to the public, the COVID-19 mRNA vaccine was tested and reviewed to ensure its safety.
More than 13 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered around the world since 2021, according to the World Health Organization. Although mRNA vaccines may seem like a big change from the norm, their function and protection is similar to many existing vaccines.
Always be sure to check the latest guidance from the CDC and your primary care provider before making any healthcare decisions.