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How Vaccines Work

Vaccines introduce a weakened or inactive form of a pathogen – like a virus or bacteria – or just a piece of it (e.g., protein) to your body.

This triggers an immune response, causing your body to produce antibodies specific to that pathogen. These antibodies ‘remember’ the threat.

Types of Vaccines

There are several types of vaccines, including inactivated vaccines (where the pathogen is killed), live attenuated vaccines (where a weakened version is used), and subunit vaccines (using only specific parts of the pathogen).

mRNA vaccines, like those developed for COVID-19, deliver genetic instructions to your cells to produce the antigen – stimulating an immune response.

Antigen → Antibody Production

The Role of Antibodies

Antibodies are produced by plasma cells in response to an infection. They bind to specific antigens on the surface of pathogens, marking them for destruction by other immune cells.

Neutralizing antibodies prevent pathogens from infecting cells, while opsonising antibodies enhance phagocytosis – the process by which immune cells engulf and destroy pathogens.

Vaccine Safety & Efficacy

Extensive testing and clinical trials demonstrate vaccine safety and efficacy. Serious adverse events are extremely rare.

Efficacy refers to the percentage of people protected by a vaccine, while effectiveness measures how well it works in real-world conditions.

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