How vaccines work?

There are different types of vaccines that act differently to produce immunity. In this context, vaccines being applied in Ecuador are of the following types:

• Pfizer: Our body is made up of cells, each of them has DNA. DNA contains information about how the human body works and develops. To pass information from one cell to another, DNA is translated into RNA. Messenger RNA (mRNA) is one type of RNA. It is called that way because it carries a message to create new functions in the body from one cell to another. The Pfizer vaccine has a fragment of the COVID-19 virus’ RNA. When injected with the vaccine, your body recognizes that a foreign body has entered, but because it is a portion of the information about the virus and NOT the entire virus capable of generating the disease, the cells in your body take the information and send it to the immune system’s cells, which begin to generate adequate information to combat the disease. By the time a person complies with the vaccination scheme, his/her body has developed defense cells that allow it to recognize the COVID-19 virus and act so that the person does not get seriously ill.

• AstraZeneca/Oxford: This vaccine uses a viral vector, which combines the specific information of an X virus plus part of the Covid-19 virus, this combination does not produce diseases, it only transports information inside people’s cells. When you get the vaccine, your body recognizes that a virus entered and recognizes that it is strange information and starts producing defense cells to protect you from getting seriously ill.

• Sinovac: Uses an inactivated virus, i.e., an empty virus without information, where information about the COVID-19 virus is entered without the part of the virus that can make you sick. The emptied virus serves as transportation for the COVID-19 virus’ genetic information to reach the cells of the body of the vaccinated person. When you get the vaccine, your body recognizes that a virus entered and recognizes that it is strange information and starts producing defense cells to protect you from getting seriously ill.

Source: https://www.who.int/es/news-room/feature-stories/detail/the-race-for-a-covid-19-vaccine-explained

The vaccines approved for use in Ecuador require 2 doses. After the second dose people acquire immunity in a varying time (depending on each vaccine), but it is usually at least 2 weeks. Until you receive the second dose of your vaccine (within the stipulated time, according to each vaccine), you are NOT protected.

Source: https://espanol.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/fully-vaccinated.html– https://espanol.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/expect.html

The vaccines approved for use in Ecuador require 2 doses. Studies state that people are protected when they complete their vaccination scheme.

After the second dose people acquire immunity in a varying time (depending on each vaccine), but it is usually at least 2 weeks.

It is important to consider that despite the completion of the vaccination scheme and the time stipulated for each vaccine to generate immunity, it is necessary to continue using protective and biosecurity measures, such as the wearing masks, social distancing, frequent hand washing, among others.

Source: https://espanol.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/fully-vaccinated.html

As of January 2021, it was still unknown how long the protection they provide lasts. At the moment, there are several researches underway to determine the vaccine protection time.

Source: https://www.paho.org/es/vacunas-contra-covid-19/preguntas-frecuentes-vacunas-contra-covid-19

There is a possibility of getting COVID-19 after receiving the vaccine, even more so if it is after the first dose, since immunity has not fully developed. This is why it is essential that you maintain the same rigorous prevention measures such as frequent hand washing, proper use of the mask and physical distancing.

If you received the first dose and then got COVID-19, you should not receive the second dose since with the COVID19 infection you will develop immunity.

We’re still learning how effective vaccines against variants of the COVID-19 virus are. Early data show that vaccines might work against some of the variants, but may be less effective against others.

Source: https://espanol.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/fully-vaccinated.html

Most people don’t have serious effects after being vaccinated. Sometimes, after vaccination, the process of generating immunity may cause symptoms, such as fever. These symptoms are normal and are a sign that the body is developing immunity.

These symptoms usually go away on their own within a week.

Source: https://espanol.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/different-vaccines/Pfizer-BioNTech.html

COVID-19 has caused very serious illnesses and the death of many people; however, the vaccine generates immunity without the harmful effects of COVID-19. Getting vaccinated against COVID-19 is the safest option.

Source: https://www.paho.org

None of the vaccines against COVID-19 contain the live virus that causes COVID-19, so getting vaccinated against COVID-19 cannot cause you to get COVID-19.

However, it usually takes a few weeks for the body to generate protection against the COVID-19 virus after vaccination. This means that it is possible for a person to become infected by the COVID-19 virus just before or just after they have been vaccinated, and that they get sick anyway. This is because the vaccine did not have enough time to generate protection.

Source: https://espanol.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/vaccine-benefits.html – https://espanol.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/facts.html