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What is Vaccine and What does Vaccine Works?
Vaccine is a biological preparation which protects an individual and its community with immunity against a specific infection. It contains substances that resembles a disease-causing microorganism often made from attenuated or inactive forms of the pathogen, its toxins or surface proteins1.
When an individual receives a vaccine, their immune system will be stimulated to:
– Recognizes the imitating pathogen, such as the virus or bacteria.
– Generate antibodies to neutralize the pathogen. Antibodies are natural proteins that the immune system produces to combat diseases.
– Inducing memory for the body to respond faster and more efficiently to future infections2. This defense is known as immunity.
Vaccination is usually administered through injections, but it can be given orally (e.g., attenuated oral poliovirus vaccines) or via nasal administration3.
A healthy lifestyle with regular exercise and a healthy diet may not be sufficient to fight an infectious disease. Vaccination provides widespread immunity after exposure to one or more doses of the vaccine, thereby making it an effective preventive measure against infectious diseases4.
Why should We Vaccinate?
Without vaccination, individual will be at risk of major life-threatening diseases such as pneumonia, measles, meningitis, tetanus, and polio. The WHO estimates that childhood immunization alone saves almost 4 million lives annually. Infections can spread quickly across borders today, infecting anyone who is unprotected1.
Most vaccines provide strong protection for several years, but occasionally a tiny percentage of individuals may not mount a strong enough immune response to the vaccination, which could result in inadequate protection following immunization. Furthermore, the protection provided by vaccinations may decline over time due to aging, illness, or due to the side effects of the medications. Some bacteria and viruses may mutate and evolve making them harder to eradicate over time especially in this society where vaccination is common. This may confer the effectiveness of some vaccines as they may eventually lose their capacity to provide better protection against diseases5.
Sino-Innovax is deeply committed to saving lives through a focus on vaccine development. We are dedicated to achieving our global mission: Innovative Medicine, Affordable Care, Better Lives. Our commitment involves contributing to innovations that protect and advance public health.
Reference:
Influenza or more commonly known as flu is a contagious respiratory infection caused by the influenza viruses. It is typically spread through small airborne droplets when an individual sneezes, coughs or talks.
Pasaca Capital, Inc. with its portfolio company Innova Medical Group Establish Joint Venture with Sinopharm Group to Improve Access to COVID-19 Vaccines Dr. Robert Redfield, Chief Scientific Advisor to Pasaca and Former US CDC Commissioner and Dr. Yichen Lu will lead the vaccine effort for Pasaca and Innova Sinopharm’s China
A protein-based COVID-19 vaccine made by Sinopharm, when given as a booster after two doses of an earlier shot from the Chinese firm, elicited a stronger antibody response against the Omicron variant than a third dose of the original, a study showed.