The science behind COVID-19 vaccines

These vaccines are different than traditional vaccines because they don’t contain dead or attenuated viruses.

mRNA is fragile. So, the vaccines were formulated with lipid nanoparticles that protect the mRNA as it goes into the body. While “lipid nanoparticles” may sound exotic or even a bit scary, they are simply special harmless oils that encase the mRNA.

For decades a variety of lipid delivery systems have been used to safely deliver different medications within the body.  This experience gained over many years was critical to design the right delivery vehicle for the mRNA vaccines.   

It’s important to remember that mRNA vaccines don’t change our DNA. The vaccine doesn’t enter a cell’s nucleus. After injection, the cell’s processes the information and start building spike proteins. The mRNA from the vaccine is eventually destroyed by the cell, leaving no permanent trace. 

Over the years, many researchers have worked on developing mRNA vaccine technology. Researchers were exploring other uses for mRNA vaccines (combating diseases like rabies and Zika) as well as immunotherapy uses (fighting certain types of cancer) before COVID-19 appeared.

Thorough approval process

Emergency use authorization for COVID-19 vaccines moved quickly, thanks to the understood need to produce an effective vaccine against the virus as fast as possible. 

Communication, collaboration and resources were fundamental in this process.  The combined effort of many scientists working from existing technologies allowed the vaccines to be developed and tested in a shorter time period.  

But that doesn’t mean researchers and scientists weren’t putting the population’s safety first during the process. Getting a vaccine authorized was still a rigorous process. In fact, at one point more than 180 COVID-19 vaccines were in development. In the United States, only three vaccines are currently authorized by the FDA for emergency use. In late August 2021, the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine received full FDA approval for use in people ages 16 and older.

“From a process standpoint, the failure of vaccine candidates illustrates the rigor that was involved in developing, testing and authorizing these vaccines,” Hoffman said. 

Work is continuing

While all data points to COVID-19 vaccines being both safe and effective, work on monitoring the vaccines continues. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), CDC, researchers and developers are continuing to gather information about the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines. 

“The science is not stopping,” Hoffman said. “There are different layers of reviews and analysis happening. We are constantly learning about the vaccines. We continue to learn more about the vaccines every day.”

The benefit of COVID-19 vaccines outweighs the risks. And the data backs it up.