Learn how vaccines are made and how they work. Review the concept of herd immunity and why it’s so important. Recognize the reasons behind vaccine hesitancy and why it matters and may enable the spread of disease.
Recently I started listening to podcasts from AXIOS, an online news source, and have especially enjoyed their coverage of science in general and specifically the COVID-19 pandemic.
They produced 5 short videos explaining the coronavirus vaccine that I found informative and want to share with you . Each is less than 5 minutes so in about 25 minutes you will learn much about the vaccine and hopefully be more confident in your decision to get vaccinated yourself, as I and my husband have been.
Here’s the intro from AXIOS and a link to the page where you can access all 5 videos. Below I have given you an outline so you know a little of what is in each episode, but I do recommend you listen to all of them in order. They are even appropriate for kids.
(The cover photo is a scanning electron microscope image of SARS-CoV-2 (orange)—also known as 2019-nCoV, the virus that causes COVID-19—isolated from a patient in the U.S., emerging from the surface of cells (green) cultured in the lab. Credit: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases-Rocky Mountain Laboratories, NIH)
Vaccines have been used for centuries to fight disease but hesitancy and disinformation about them are spreading, jeopardizing the global fight against measles, COVID-19 and other diseases.
Axios’ science and health journalists will help you understand vaccines — how they work, how they’re tested and distributed, and where vaccine technology is headed.
1. Vaccine basics
Learn how vaccines are made and how they work. Understand the immune system-T cells and antibodies.
Review the concept of herd immunity and why it’s so important.
2. Study and testing of vaccines
Find out why the research and development of vaccines costs $100 of millions. See the 3 phases of the process and why this one progressed faster than ever before.
3. Distribution of vaccines
Understand why vaccine distribution differs from other drugs-including the manufacturing, selling, buying, and transporting.
4. Misinformation about vaccines
Recognize the reasons behind vaccine hesitancy and why it matters and may enable the spread of disease.
5. Next generation vaccines
Explore how scientists are using the power of genetics to create new and better vaccines. Appreciate why vaccines can change our approach to disease prevention.
Exploring the HEART of ending the COVID-19 pandemic
Dr. Aletha
Use these links to share the heart of health wherever you connect.
As a family physician, I explore the HEART of HEALTH in my work, recreation, community, and through writing. My blog, Watercress Words, informs and inspires us to live in health. I believe we can turn our health challenges into healthy opportunities. When we do, we can share the HEART of health with our families, communities, and the world. Come explore and share with me.
View all posts by Aletha Cress Oglesby, M.D.
11 thoughts on “Understanding COVID-19 vaccines in 25 minutes”
Thanks for sharing this valuable information. It is hard to trust much of what we read on this topic with how crazy the media has become. I find that I appreciate real people sharing educated thoughts and information so much more. Thanks for linking with me.
Thank you for sharing but I still believe that “the money is in the treatment not the cure” – as I am sure there are cures for cancer, aids and other deadly diseases but if they were released a lot of money would be lost.
Antionette, thanks for reading the post and sharing your perspective, which I hope I understand correctly. I believe the challenge with any disease, deadly or otherwise, is to find ways to prevent, treat, and cure in ways that are effective, safe, and affordable. With COVID-19 scientists attempted to do all three urgently for the entire world population. What they have accomplished is historic and remarkable and we all have benefited from what is learned, most of which can be applied to other diseases.
I’m glad I found your blog, looks like you provide a wealth of helpful resources for bloggers which I intend to explore further.
Great post. There is so much information out there that it is hard to know which to trust. Thank you for sharing this. It really is important so that we can all eventually move away from this.
Thanks for sharing this valuable information. It is hard to trust much of what we read on this topic with how crazy the media has become. I find that I appreciate real people sharing educated thoughts and information so much more. Thanks for linking with me.
Shelbee
http://www.shelbeeontheedge.com
LikeLike
Hello, our Julie would like this post featured in our next Blogger’s Pit Stop.
Kathleen
LikeLiked by 1 person
I appreciate this feature so much.
LikeLike
Thank you for sharing but I still believe that “the money is in the treatment not the cure” – as I am sure there are cures for cancer, aids and other deadly diseases but if they were released a lot of money would be lost.
LikeLike
Antionette, thanks for reading the post and sharing your perspective, which I hope I understand correctly. I believe the challenge with any disease, deadly or otherwise, is to find ways to prevent, treat, and cure in ways that are effective, safe, and affordable. With COVID-19 scientists attempted to do all three urgently for the entire world population. What they have accomplished is historic and remarkable and we all have benefited from what is learned, most of which can be applied to other diseases.
I’m glad I found your blog, looks like you provide a wealth of helpful resources for bloggers which I intend to explore further.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, now let’s hope they will also release the cure for cancer and make it affordable for everyone.
LikeLike
Great post. There is so much information out there that it is hard to know which to trust. Thank you for sharing this. It really is important so that we can all eventually move away from this.
Maureen | http://www.littlemisscasual.com
LikeLike
thanks for posting this. there is so much misinformation out there and so few places pull the important stuff together.
LikeLike
You’re welcome, I strive to share correct and helpful info, I’m glad you found it so. Thanks for reading.
LikeLike