Everything You Need To Know About Covid - 19 Vaccinations

With three vaccinations already approved for use in the UK and encouraging late-stage trial findings for two further vaccines supported by the UK government, vaccines have been the COVID-19 pandemic's biggest triumph.

As soon as it is your turn, take all COVID-19 vaccine doses prescribed to you by your health authority, including a booster dose if necessary.

Do everything you can to maintain your and others' health because it is still possible to contract COVID-19 and transfer it to others even after receiving the vaccination. Maintain a safe distance from people, avoid crowds, cover your coughs and sneezes, keep interior rooms well-ventilated, and wear a mask that fits snugly over your mouth and nose. If you contract COVID-19 after immunization, your chances of experiencing moderate or no symptoms are higher than if you hadn't received the shot.

How Do Vaccinations Work?

Vaccines assist in boosting a person's resistance to a virus or other pathogen. A vaccine introduces a less dangerous component of the germ, or something made to resemble or act like it, into the recipient's body. The body's immune system produces antibodies to combat that specific germ and prevent infection. When that germ is seen again later, the immune system will remember how to combat it and recognize it.

How Will a Vaccination Prevent Covid’19?

Every viral particle on the coronavirus that causes Covid’19 is covered with protein spikes. The viruses can more easily infect cells with the aid of these spikes. Several coronavirus vaccines aim to aid the body in recognizing these spike proteins to combat the coronavirus that contains them.

A successful vaccine helps shield the recipient from a life-threatening illness, hospitalization, and even death. The widespread use of vaccination will aid in reducing the virus's ability to spread through populations and evolve into new strains.

Types of Covid’19 Vaccinations

Clinical trials are being conducted on four types of vaccines: WHOLE VIRUS, PROTEIN SUBUNIT, VIRAL VECTOR, and NUCLEIC ACID (RNA AND DNA). Some attempt to smuggle the antigen into the body, while others employ the host's cells to produce the viral antigen.

Whole Virus: To produce a protective immunity against the pathogen that causes the disease, whole virus vaccines use a weaker (attenuated) or deactivated version of the pathogen.

Protein Subunit: Protein subunit vaccines stimulate a protective response against the disease-causing virus using pieces of the virus's protein.

Viral Vector: The vaccine's vector virus is a different, harmless virus rather than the one that causes COVID-19. It reaches the muscle cells and makes a harmless spike protein fragment using the machinery of the cells. The virus that causes COVID-19 has a spike protein on its surface.

Nucleic Acid: Genetic material from a pathogen—a virus or bacteria that causes disease—is used in nucleic acid vaccines to elicit The immune system's defense mechanism.

Types of Covid’19 Vaccinations

Following Covid’19 vaccinations have been approved in the UK:

Moderna vaccine
Pfizer vaccine
Nuvaxovid vaccine (Novavax)
AstraZeneca vaccine
Janssen vaccine
Valneva vaccine

Which Vaccination Will You Get?

Typically, you cannot pick which vaccines you receive. When you schedule an appointment online, you will only be given options for vaccinations that are right for you.

Most people are eligible for any COVID-19 vaccine, although certain people only offer particular vaccines.

Pregnant women and people under 40 are typically given appointments for the Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna vaccinations.

Only the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccination will be provided if you are under 18.

Unless you experienced major side effects after receiving the first dosage of the vaccination (such as a severe allergic response), you should receive the same vaccine for both your first and second doses.

The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine or the Moderna vaccine will typically be recommended as a booster dose. This indicates that the vaccine you received for your initial two doses may be different for your booster dose.

Common Side Effects of Covid’19 Vaccination

Like any vaccine, the COVID-19 vaccine might have adverse effects, most of which are mild or moderate and fade away on their own after a few days. Clinical trial findings have demonstrated the possibility of more severe or protracted unfavorable effects.

Soreness at the injection site, fever, exhaustion, headache, muscle pain, chills, and diarrhea are negative effects. Depending on the particular vaccine, different effects have varying post-vaccination risks.

Even though COVID-19 immunizations only offer protection against the SARS-CoV-2 virus, maintaining good health is still crucial.

Time Difference Between Second Dose and Booster Dose

The COVID-19 booster shot shouldn't be given before six months have passed since your second dosage. When the time comes, the NHS will send you a reminder. If a week has passed since your 6-month eligibility date and you haven't received an invitation from the NHS to schedule your booster, you should book your appointment using the National Booking Service.

How To Know If I Qualify for the COVID booster?

If you are still determining how long it has been since your most recent vaccination, you can check your vaccination history through the NHS vaccine record service or by downloading the NHS app.

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