mRNA vaccines, explained

Why some Covid-19 vaccines were developed faster than any vaccine ever.

Researchers working on Covid-19 vaccines have smashed speed records, bringing new vaccines from development to distribution in less than a year. They did this with the help of billions of dollars of unprecedented global investment -- but also, in some cases, with a new type of vaccine technology.

There are four traditional types of vaccines, and they all require the growing and handling of live pathogens in a lab, a time-consuming process than can add months or years to development. But two new types of vaccines skip that step altogether by moving that work from the lab to our bodies. mRNA vaccines, like the ones from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna; and Adenovirus vaccines, like those from Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca; do this by sending genetic instructions directly into our cells, which then produce the harmless protein the body needs to learn to fight Covid-19. Because these proteins are produced from within cells rather than injected from the outside, they may be less likely to provoke adverse reactions in the recipient.

The result has been a host of vaccines developed faster than ever. But it's also ushered us into a new age of vaccine technology, one in which we can send our own bodies the instructions on how to protect themselves. That technology is already being used to drive research on vaccines for HIV and cancer. These new types of vaccines are weapons we developed to fight the coronavirus - but their real impact is just beginning.

Note: The headline on this video has been changed.
Previous title: How the newest vaccines fight Covid-19

Further reading:

[Vox]

This video focuses on the two new types of vaccines, but as we say at 2:00, not all Covid-19 vaccines fall into those categories. Here’s a list of some of the leading vaccines, and which types they are:

mRNA vaccines:
- Moderna
- Pfizer-BioNTech

Adenovirus vaccines:
- AstraZeneca
- Johnson & Johnson
- Sputnik V
- CanSino

Recombinant protein vaccines:
- Novavax

Inactivated virus vaccines:
- Bharat/Covaxin
- Sinovac
- Sinopharm

[ernestbr]

People before the new vaccine: ugh wish companies would develop a vaccine faster
Companies: develop a vaccine faster
People: now I don’t want it

[__entiendo]

Me, a bio major: Hey, I know some of these words.

[whyme]

Imagine having a dad who could check what illness you have then literally invent the cure. Lool

[kakisse]

I just got my first Pfizer shot and as I'm sitting here with a slightly sore arm (utterly normal), I am enjoying understanding what is happening in my body as I type this comment.

[Oxideacid]

Uhhh.... The mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell?

[adiofeet]

watching this two years later hits different.

[larrylouraylo]

If the risk of adverse reactions to the COVID vaccines is so low, why do the pharma companies need legal immunity?

[Frstbite]

Y'know, amidst our fantasies of flying cars and rocket powered hoverboards, it's easy to forget that we're already in the frickin future.

[shaqtaku]

Hopefully these achievements inspired a lot of younger people to become scientists: The expensive education system: I'm gonna stop you right there

[souljacem]

Dr. Sahin & Dr. Türeci who came up with this mRNA synthesis solution and who‘ve provided their help are real geniuses. This is incredible

[atanu_giri]

And I thought Johnson and Johnson only made talcum powder

[ys]

I've never heard anyone, except politicians, say good things about the mRNA vaccines.
We don't want any of them. Why are they still being rolled

[legendhasit]

The full summary of "I use covid 19 to destroy covid 19"

[XnonXte]

I love how vox teach us a lot of complex thing, Even in our basic understanding

[KianBrose]

Personally I'm a bit skeptical of these new methods since there was a period in Sweden where there was a major outbreak which caused rapid developement of a vaccine which ended up having huge side effects discovered a couple years later, I think I'll wait and see if any side effects show up before getting it myself

[xJessiGirlProx]

It’s amazing, and should be something we are all excited about. A HUGE advancement in the medical field and will change the future of vaccines. It’s a shame partisanship and drama is putting a damper on that.

[Toph.Beifong.]

All the anti vaxers told me i was gonna get all these horrible symptoms.

3 months later and i feel nothin

[balkangetaway]

My mom (75), my partner and i (42) all got the pfizer. Tired the day after but that was it.

[izaiahthomas]

That’s was actually really helpful for understanding the vaccine development and distribution obstacles were currently facing as a nation as well as the new vaccine development types