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Vaccines are a crucial defence against serious diseases, especially as our immune systems weaken with age. They work by introducing a harmless version of a pathogen (a vaccine antigen) into the body, which is then filtered through the lymph nodes. The lymph nodes train the body to fight off the real pathogen when confronted with it. Some vaccines are administered into the muscle, such as the MMR vaccine, while others are administered under the skin, such as the BCG vaccine. The COVID-19 vaccine is typically given in the upper arm muscle or upper thigh, depending on the age of the person being vaccinated.
Characteristics and Values of Vaccines Administered in Muscles
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Vaccine Type | mRNA, Protein Subunit, MMR |
| Vaccine Ingredients | mRNA, Antigens, Lipids, Sugars, Salts, Acids, Chemical Stabilizers |
| How Vaccines Work | Teach the immune system to recognize antigens from viruses or bacteria |
| Injection Site | Upper arm muscle, Upper thigh muscle |
| Side Effects | Pain, Swelling, Headache, Fatigue, Muscle or Joint Pain, Nausea, Chills, Fever |
| Benefits | Prevent Hospitalization, Reduce Severity of Illness, Protect Community |
| Risks | Myocarditis, Pericarditis, Anaphylaxis, Whole-body Infection |
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What You'll Learn
COVID-19 vaccines are given in the upper arm muscle or upper thigh
Vaccines are a crucial defence against serious diseases, especially for older adults whose immune systems weaken with age. All types of vaccines leave the body with a supply of "memory" T-lymphocytes and B-lymphocytes that remember how to fight the virus in the future. COVID-19 vaccines are no exception.
There are two types of COVID-19 vaccines currently in use in the United States: mRNA and protein subunit vaccines. Both types of vaccines prompt our bodies to recognise and protect us from the virus that causes COVID-19. However, they work in different ways to offer protection.
MRNA vaccines use mRNA created in a laboratory to teach our cells how to make a protein or a piece of a protein that triggers an immune response inside our bodies. This immune response, which produces antibodies, is what helps protect us from getting sick from that germ in the future. After vaccination, the mRNA will enter the muscle cells and use the cells' machinery to produce a harmless piece of the spike protein. The spike protein is found on the surface of the virus that causes COVID-19.
Protein subunit vaccines, on the other hand, contain pieces of the virus that causes COVID-19, which are the spike proteins. These vaccines also contain an adjuvant, which helps the immune system respond to the spike protein. Once the immune system knows how to respond to the spike protein, it will be able to respond quickly to the actual virus and protect against COVID-19.
COVID-19 vaccines are typically given in the upper arm muscle or upper thigh, depending on the age of the person being vaccinated. For example, the Spikevax vaccine is given as two injections, usually into the muscle of the upper arm, or the thigh in infants and young children.
Overall, the benefits of COVID-19 vaccination far outweigh the minimal risks, and any side effects from the vaccine are normal signs that the body is building protection.
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Vaccines are a crucial defence against serious diseases
Vaccines work by teaching the immune system to recognize and fight off germs that cause diseases. They do this by either exposing the body to a weakened or inactivated germ or by providing genetic instructions for the body to create antigens, as is the case with mRNA vaccines. This process triggers an immune response, where the body produces antibodies to fight off the disease. This response can sometimes cause mild side effects, such as fever or muscle pain, which are normal signs that the body is building immunity. Serious side effects, such as anaphylaxis, are very rare.
The protection provided by vaccines is called immunity. In many cases, immunity lasts a lifetime, and vaccines can provide long-lasting protection against serious diseases. Vaccines are especially important for people with weakened immune systems, such as those with HIV/AIDS or cancer, who may not be able to fight off diseases without the help of vaccines. By getting vaccinated, individuals not only protect themselves but also contribute to community immunity, protecting those who cannot be vaccinated, such as infants.
Overall, the benefits of vaccination far outweigh the minimal risks. Vaccines are a safe and effective way to protect against serious diseases and have helped reduce hospitalizations and deaths. They are a crucial defence against the spread of infectious diseases and have saved countless lives worldwide.
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Vaccines do not alter your DNA
Vaccines are a crucial defence against serious diseases, especially as our immune system weakens with age. There are many misconceptions about vaccines, including the idea that they can alter your DNA. This is simply not true.
MRNA vaccines, for example, teach our cells to make a protein or a piece of a protein that triggers an immune response in our bodies. This immune response produces antibodies, which protect us from getting sick from that germ in the future. The mRNA in the vaccine acts as an instruction manual for our cells, letting them know how to create a guard against the coronavirus.
Importantly, the genetic material delivered by mRNA vaccines never enters the nucleus of our cells, which is where our DNA is kept. Therefore, the vaccine does not alter our DNA. mRNA is naturally made by the body and is a single-stranded copy of a small part of DNA. It is routinely made in the nucleus but then released into the main part of the cell so that the instructions it carries can be 'read' and made into a variety of proteins needed by the cell.
Traditional vaccines also do not alter your DNA. They teach the immune system to recognize antigens from viruses or bacteria by directly exposing the body to antigens from that germ. A given vaccine might contain the whole germ, but a version that has been weakened or killed so it cannot cause disease. Alternatively, a shot may carry only a piece of the germ that contains the antigen of interest.
In summary, neither mRNA nor traditional vaccines alter your DNA. They work outside of the nucleus and have not been observed to interact with it.
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Vaccines can be administered incorrectly
Vaccines are crucial in protecting us from serious diseases, especially as our immune systems weaken with age. However, it is important to acknowledge that vaccines can be administered incorrectly, which may lead to adverse effects.
Vaccines are typically administered by injection into the muscle, known as an intramuscular injection. This method ensures the vaccine reaches the muscle cells, triggering an immune response. However, in certain cases, vaccines may be inadvertently injected into a blood vessel instead of a muscle, also known as intravenous injection. This incorrect administration has been a topic of discussion among experts and was highlighted by Jimmy Dore and Vaccine Expert John Campbell, Ph.D., on "The Jimmy Dore Show."
Campbell, a nurse teacher from the UK, emphasized that nurses administering the COVID-19 vaccine often fail to determine whether the needle is correctly placed in the muscle. He cited a peer-reviewed study published in Oxford's Clinical Infectious Diseases Journal, which linked the inadvertent intravenous injection of COVID-19 mRNA vaccines to myopericarditis, a serious heart condition. This condition involves dangerous inflammation in or around the heart, which can have potentially tragic and deadly outcomes.
Incorrect vaccine administration is not limited to a specific type of vaccine. For example, a study by the University of Germany and the German Center for Cardiovascular Research found that adenovector COVID vaccines, including the Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca vaccines, when injected into blood vessels instead of muscles, can result in dangerous blood clots. Consequently, it is crucial to ensure proper vaccine administration to minimize the risk of adverse effects.
To prevent incorrect administration, Campbell recommended aspirating the syringe before injection to ensure that the vaccine is not injected into a vein. However, the CDC and WHO advise against this practice to minimize pain and soreness associated with the injection. Nonetheless, vaccine manufacturers clearly state on package inserts that aspiration should be performed to confirm the correct placement of the needle.
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Vaccines are proven to be safe and effective
The mRNA vaccines, for example, use mRNA synthesized in a laboratory to instruct our cells to produce a protein or a fragment of a protein that triggers an immune response within our bodies. This immune response, which produces antibodies, is what protects us from contracting the disease in the future. The genetic material delivered by mRNA vaccines never enters the nucleus of cells, where our DNA is stored, so the vaccine does not alter our DNA.
Furthermore, vaccines can prevent long-term health consequences from diseases such as measles in children. For instance, this year's flu shot was up to 78% effective in preventing hospitalization in kids, according to early data. Similarly, vaccines are a crucial defense against serious diseases in older adults, as their immune system weakens with age. Vaccines for diseases such as shingles, pneumonia, and the flu are recommended for older adults in the U.S.
While breakthrough infections can occur, vaccinated individuals typically experience milder symptoms and are less likely to suffer severe illness or death. Additionally, the side effects from vaccines are usually mild and temporary, such as pain or swelling at the injection site, headache, fatigue, muscle or joint pain, nausea, chills, and fever. Serious adverse reactions are very rare. Overall, the benefits of vaccination far outweigh the minimal risks.
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Frequently asked questions
mRNA vaccines use mRNA created in a laboratory to teach our cells how to make a protein that triggers an immune response in our bodies.
Vaccines put a weakened or inactivated germ into our bodies to trigger an immune response. This immune response produces antibodies, which help protect us from getting sick from that germ in the future.
During immunization, a harmless version of a pathogen called a vaccine antigen is introduced into the body. The antigen is then filtered through the lymph nodes, which work like immune system boot camps that train the body to fight off the real pathogen.
Any side effects from getting the vaccine are normal signs that the body is building protection. Side effects include pain or swelling at the injection site, headache, fatigue, muscle or joint pain, nausea, chills and fever.
A study found that participants who received both doses in the same arm began producing neutralizing antibodies against the virus within the first week after the second dose.
