COVID Vaccination: Why vaccinations work?

Thanks to vaccines and vaccinations! They have been saving the world from pandemics and protecting our lives from deadly viruses for so long. Several life-threatening diseases like smallpox and polio became pages in history books because of these vaccinations. When Jonas Salk first discovered the Polio vaccine he brought hope to millions of people and saved them from a life of disability. With regular and mass immunisation Polio is as good as eradicated. 

The way vaccinations work is rather beautiful. When a person gets vaccinated, their body is introduced to a weaker and altered form of the disease causing pathogen. It triggers the body’s immune system to fight off this weak version of the disease and keep a “memory” or “database” of all pathogens. So that the next time when a person is exposed to these pathogens, the vaccine triggers the immune system to produce immunity to that disease.

It works the same with COVID-19 vaccines as well. If you or your loved ones are of the right age group, you must opt for vaccination. These vaccines help in developing immunity to the  SARS-CoV-2-virus that causes COVID-19. Getting vaccinated helps you fight the virus, in case you get exposed to it. It also safeguards people around you.

Elderly people, pregnant ladies, people with comorbidities, etc. are more likely to get affected with life-threatening complications of COVID-19. It can even be deadly for them. For the same reason, getting yourself vaccinated is as important as is getting your loved ones vaccinated.  Thus these vaccines not only make you immune from COVID-19 virus but also help in reducing the spread of virus in communities. 

The human body is amazing. Our immune system uses different tools to fight infection caused by viruses. Our blood contains red and white blood cells or Lymphocytes which help in fighting infections. T-lymphocytes are one kind of defensive white blood cell that attacks cells in the body that are infected. Human body keeps a few T-lymphocytes known as “memory cells” to deal with the virus in case they enter the body again. When the body detects similar antigens, B-lymphocytes, another kind of defensive white blood cell, release antibodies to attack them. When you get vaccinated for COVID-19, your body is given with a mild dose of the same virus so that our body will have a “memory” of it and the next time when the virus enters the body, our immune system will repel it. This is why your body shows mild-symptoms when you get vaccinated. 

Here’s how you can go about taking you vaccination

1. You need to take two shots of the vaccine to get fully vaccinated. The second shot is taken after 14-28 days after the first shot. This process of building immunity can sometimes cause mild symptoms like fever, fatigue, headache, etc. However, like said before, these symptoms are very normal as they are just signs of your body getting immune to the virus.
2. You will need to bring a government issued identification to the hospital so that you can then get vaccinated. 
3. Currently, you will need to get a comorbidities certificate from your doctor if you are below the age of 60 but above the age of 44. 
4. You will need to visit a government authorised vaccination centre like Specialist Hospital and get the shot. You will also need to stay back in the hospital for 30 mins for monitoring. 
5. Wear a mask to the vaccination and continue wearing a mask after getting the injection. 

COVID-19 vaccination keeps us away from deadly viruses as individuals and communities. It also protects the future generation by stopping the spread of the disease. If not for the vaccines, our lives would never have been the same. You will understand how important vaccines are if you try to imagine the catastrophic effects that diseases like polio or measles would have caused on the communities and to individuals. The truth is that the viruses that have caused many life-threatening pandemics are not completely mutated. It is the vaccines that keep us away from the deadly complications of such viruses. These diseases will come back eventually if we stop vaccination which will be harmful for the current generation as well as the future generations. 

The Specialist hospital is a Government-authorised centre for COVID-19 vaccination. If you are 60 and above or a person from 45 and 59 with comorbidities, you are eligible for the vaccination. You can walk-in any time between 9:00 am and 5:00 pm for the vaccination. All you need to carry is your Aadhar card and a comorbidities certificate from your treating doctor if you belong in the age group of 45-59. The vaccine is only Rs. 250 per dose. You will also have to go under observation for 30 minutes post-vaccination. 

We all know how deadly COVID-19 can be for some people. Getting vaccinated is the best way to protect yourself and others from the COVID-19 virus. So get yourself and your loved ones vaccinated from Specialist Hospital, now!