Explained: How Moderna's COVID Vaccine Works
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ModernaTX, Inc. is a USA-based pharmaceutical company developed a COVID-19 vaccine known as mRNA-1273.
On July 6, the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) allowed Mumbai-based pharma company Cipla to import Moderna's Covid vaccine for emergency use in the country.
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The Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine is administered as a 2-dose series, 1 month apart, into the muscle of the upper arm of individuals 18 years of age and older.
Image Courtesy: Unsplash | Source: ModernaTX
The vaccine is based on the virus's genetic instructions for building the spike protein.
Image Courtesy: Unsplash | Source: ModernaTX
After being injected, the vaccine releases messenger RNA (mRNA), which is a single-stranded molecule that carries genetic instructions to direct cells to make proteins.
Image Courtesy: Unsplash | Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Once the protein is made, the cell breaks down the instructions and gets rid of them.
Image Courtesy: Unsplash | Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Next, the cell displays the protein piece on its surface. The immune systems recognize that the protein doesn't belong there and begin building an immune response and making antibodies.
Image Courtesy: Unsplash | Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
At the end of the process, the body has learnt how to protect against future infection.
Image Courtesy: Unsplash | Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The Moderna vaccine has been shown to have an efficacy of approximately 94.1% in protecting against Covid, starting 14 days after the first dose.
Image Courtesy: Unsplash | Source: World Health Organisation
Based on the evidence so far, the new variants of coronavirus do not alter the effectiveness of the Moderna mRNA vaccine.
Image Courtesy: Unsplash | Source: World Health Organisation
Moderna COVID-19 vaccine needs to be stored in the temperature between -13°F (-25ºC) and 5°F (-15ºC).
Image Courtesy: Unsplash | Source: ModernaTX
Common side effects of the Moderna Covid vaccine which may last for a few days are:
- chills
- headache
- tiredness
- pain at injection site
Image Courtesy: Unsplash | Source: ModernaTX
Who should not get Moderna's vaccine?
• Those who have had a severe allergic reaction after a previous dose of this vaccine
• Those who have had a severe allergic reaction to any ingredient of this vaccine
Image Courtesy: Unsplash | Source: ModernaTX
The company plans to produce 800 million to 1 billion doses in 2021, and about 3 billion doses in 2022.
Image Courtesy: Unsplash | Source: ModernaTX
Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director of WHO South East Asia said that India has been offered 75 lakh doses of Moderna vaccine through Covax (a worldwide initiative for equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines ).
Image Courtesy: Unsplash | Source: ANI