Esmeralda: The COVID-19 pandemic has caused not only a significant number

of patients, but also a significant number of deaths worldwide and consequently

in Bolivia.
Amairani: The control of this disease has so far been based on the maintenance
by the population of biosecurity measures: frequent washing or cleaning of
hands, keeping the safe distance of more than one and a half meters with other
people and the permanent use of chin, plus the recommendation to avoid
concentrations of people and closed places without ventilation. Measures
which, unfortunately, are not practised by all people.
Brayan: Why is a vaccine against COVID-19 necessary?
Damaris: 80% of people who contract the disease are asymptomatic or have a
mild clinical picture, 15% develop a severe condition and 5% are critical. The
high percentage of people who are asymptomatic or have mild illness are a
challenge for the control of the COVID-19 disease
Esmeralda: What are the phases of research and development of a vaccine and
what is studied in each one?
Amairani: The priority of the different research studies is the safety of using a
vaccine and its efficacy. The studies are carried out in phases: preclinical phase
in animals and phases I, II, III, and IV in humans.

Brayan: Are all vaccines against Covid-19 developed on inexperienced

platforms?

Damaris: Candidate vaccines are based on different platforms (viral vector,

inactivity and attenuated, messenger RNA and DNA, proteins and protein
subunits). Most of the candidates are based on technologies already used.
There are no approved so far based on messenger RNA.

Esmeralda: Will vaccination automatically end the pandemic?

Amairani: Until the final efficacy of the vaccine is determined, prevention

measures must be sustained, the document states. Vaccination will be carried
out in stages, so the decrease in viral circulation will not be immediate. And as
long as susceptible people persist, there may continue to be sick and
contagiouspeople.

Brayan: Didthe diseases disappear before vaccines were introduced because of

hygienic and sanitary improvements?

Damaris: Obviously, improvements in the hygienic and sanitary conditions of a

country contribute to reducing the occurrence of certain diseases and to sick
people being able to recover their health more quickly and with fewer sequelae.

Esmeralda: Do vaccines cause undesirable effects, disease and even death?

Amairani: Vaccines are currently very safe and the number of significant side
effects is very small and, if we compare it with the benefit they produce, we can
say that this risk is negligible.

Brayan: Do mRNA vaccines modify DNA and it can cause cancer?

Damaris: None of the vaccines interact or modify DNA in any way, so they
cannot cause cancer.
Esmeralda: She said that none of the vaccines interact or modify DNA in any
way, so they couldn’t cause cancer, but if I get sick, can I vaccinate?
Amairani: The vaccine does not contain any part of the COVID-19 virus, either
alive or inactivated. It won't make you test positive for an active COVID-19
infection.
Brayan: Is getting immunity naturally safer than getting it from a vaccine?
Damaris: The degree of natural immunity that a person obtains after an infection
varies from person to person. According to the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC), early evidence suggests that natural immunity may not last
long. Developing immunity from the vaccine is less risky than doing it naturally
because there is no way to predict the severity of symptoms if you get COVID-
19.
Esmeralda: My friend is infected with coronavirus. If she vaccines right now, she
could recover her health?
Brayan: Did you have contact with her?
Esmeralda: No, I don’t see my friend since last year.
Amairani: Sorry, what did you say?
Damaris: She said she didn’t see her friend since last year. But she can’t
receive de vaccine, because she will not generate antibodies. But if she does
not follow the doctor's instructions, she will not can receive the vaccine as soon
as possible, obviously when she get recover. The scientists had the vaccines
achieved a great relief against this virus.