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Ohhhh, now I get it! (e.g., TIL;tldr)
Feb. 11th, 2022 10:21 amAs is probably obvious from my posts, I have always been fascinated by health topics. If you don't share this interest, the rest of this post will probably be tldr.
With all its horrors, this pandemic has given us (the big societal "us") a treasure trove of new knowledge about how the immune system works. Some of this is apparently new to scientists and public health experts; some is just new to me. This particular nugget is probably the latter, but it's something that never occurred to me before and it took a while to penetrate. I realize now that I have seen this explanation before, but I just didn't get it.
Apparently it makes a difference to the immune system exactly where in the body a vaccine is administered. There is not only a systemic reaction to the vaccine, there is also an effect that is purely local. That is why you get a sore arm in response to a vaccine shot - the tissues around the shot are having a small local overreaction to the vaccine stimulus. That doesn't really hurt anything but is not helpful. The goal is the larger systemic reaction. But if there's going to be a local reaction, it would be more helpful if that occurred at the same location where the virus enters the body.
So THAT'S the real reason that they're working on a coronavirus vaccine that can be delivered via nasal spray! It's not just because it's less unpleasant, it's because stimulating the mucosal membranes may actually produce a long-lasting immune response IN THE NOSE. Wow. Another reason to look forward to the next generation of coronavirus vaccine, currently under development. Maybe that one will even provide some protection for the common cold. Wow.
With all its horrors, this pandemic has given us (the big societal "us") a treasure trove of new knowledge about how the immune system works. Some of this is apparently new to scientists and public health experts; some is just new to me. This particular nugget is probably the latter, but it's something that never occurred to me before and it took a while to penetrate. I realize now that I have seen this explanation before, but I just didn't get it.
Apparently it makes a difference to the immune system exactly where in the body a vaccine is administered. There is not only a systemic reaction to the vaccine, there is also an effect that is purely local. That is why you get a sore arm in response to a vaccine shot - the tissues around the shot are having a small local overreaction to the vaccine stimulus. That doesn't really hurt anything but is not helpful. The goal is the larger systemic reaction. But if there's going to be a local reaction, it would be more helpful if that occurred at the same location where the virus enters the body.
So THAT'S the real reason that they're working on a coronavirus vaccine that can be delivered via nasal spray! It's not just because it's less unpleasant, it's because stimulating the mucosal membranes may actually produce a long-lasting immune response IN THE NOSE. Wow. Another reason to look forward to the next generation of coronavirus vaccine, currently under development. Maybe that one will even provide some protection for the common cold. Wow.
