Week 12- Things I Mean to Know

In the recent events with the occurrence of the COVID-19 pandemic, much talk has been surrounding the creation of a vaccine. Some experts say it could be 12-18 months before a vaccine is created, but others seem to think one can be created earlier with the collaboration of scientists around the world. With this, I have always wanted to know how a new vaccine is created. With the current event, some prior knowledge I have is that scientists have two case studies going on about a possible vaccine that is showing promising early results but no widespread testing has happened. 
After researching, I learned more about how a vaccine is made. According to chop.edu, the children’s hospital of Philadelphia, there are four different ways to make a vaccine. The first is to weaken the virus, then administer it to the patient so they can easily fight it off and then develop a proper immune response so they never get it severely. Another method is to inactivate the virus, which allows the body to respond to the virus, yet the virus can not replicate inside the body. A third way to create a vaccine is to use part of the virus and give it to the patient, then the body can make a defense if it encounters it again. The final method for creating a vaccine is to use part of the bacteria. In this method, the toxin is killed which deactivates the disease. Each way to create the vaccine has different pros and cons, as people who are immunocompromised can not tolerate some of the vaccine methods. I am glad I researched this, it is good knowledge to have especially during this time!