Answer:

Introduction:

Vaccines have long served as a critical tool in combating infectious diseases, enabling our immune systems to fight off harmful pathogens effectively. They are developed based on principles of immunology, essentially teaching our bodies to recognize and respond to specific infectious agents.

Body:

Principle of Vaccine Development:

The basic principle behind vaccine development involves introducing the immune system to a harmless part of the pathogen, or a weakened or dead version of it, so that the body can learn to recognize and combat it in the future.

• For instance, in the case of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, weakened versions of the viruses are used.
• When administered, these weakened viruses cannot cause the diseases but are enough to stimulate the immune system to produce a defensive response, including the production of memory cells.
• These memory cells are then capable of recognizing and launching a faster and more effective attack if the person is exposed to the actual viruses in the future.
• It’s somewhat like showing a ‘wanted poster’ of a criminal to a security guard, so they can recognize and apprehend the criminal if they ever encounter them.

Working of Vaccines:

• Vaccines work by training the immune system to recognize and combat specific pathogens.
• When a vaccine is administered, it stimulates the immune system to produce a response, including the creation of memory cells.
• These cells remember the pathogen and can mount a quick and effective response if the body encounters the actual pathogen in the future.
• It’s like a fire drill preparing a fire department to react quickly and effectively in case of a real fire.

As for COVID-19 vaccines, Indian manufacturers employed different strategies:

• Covaxin (Bharat Biotech): Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin utilized an inactivated virus approach, somewhat like training a soldier with a dummy weapon for real combat.
• Covovax (Serum Institute of India): Covovax, developed by Serum Institute of India, uses a protein subunit approach, which is like teaching the immune system to recognize a criminal by their unique feature, such as a tattoo.
• Covishield (Serum Institute of India): Covishield employs a viral vector approach, akin to using a harmless virus to deliver a piece of the coronavirus’s genetic material into cells to provoke an immune response.

Conclusion:

Vaccines represent one of the most effective tools we have to control and prevent infectious diseases, and the development of COVID-19 vaccines has been a testament to the power of science and collaboration. These vaccines have allowed us to build a robust defense against the virus, slowing its spread, and saving countless lives.