Scientists and researchers from all over the world have been working relentlessly to launch effective

vaccines to stop the spread of COVID-19.

Since the first occurrence of the novel Coronavirus in the December of 2019, a number of COVID-19
vaccines have been authorized for administration, and several more are still in development.

Here is a brief account of 5 well-known COVID-19 vaccines from around the world.

1. Oxford AstraZeneca
The Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine has been developed in the Oxford University in collaboration with
the pharma giant AstraZeneca. It is currently manufactured and distributed in India under the local
name ‘Covishield’.

The Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine is a viral vector vaccine. The vaccine uses a harmless Adenovirus
shell (vector) carrying modified genetic material. The Adenovirus vector used is known to cause
common cold in chimpanzees.

The genetic material inside the Adenovirus vector is modified so that the virus does not replicate,
and for the synthesis of a special protein called the “Spike protein”. This Spike protein is the same
protein that is present on the surface of the COVID-19 virus.

When the vaccine is injected inside the body, our cells get infected with the Adenovirus and are
forced to produce the Spike protein as instructed by its genetic material. The body recognizes the
presence of the Spike protein as a foreign agent, and immediately launches an immune response
producing unique antibodies against it.

The above process leads to the production of memory T- and B-lymphocytes, thus building immunity
against the Spike protein. The next time a real infection involving the COVID-19 virus occurs, the
body is quick to detect the Spike protein on the virus and launch a quick attack on it.

2. Pfizer-BioNTech
The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine has been developed by BioNTech in a partnership with the pharma
giant Pfizer. It is being distributed under the brand name ‘Comirnaty’.

This vaccine comes under a category of vaccines called ‘mRNA vaccines’. The Pfizer-BioNTech
vaccine uses a modified messenger RNA to enter the body and force our cells to produce the Spike
protein. Spike proteins are unique proteins found on the surface of the COVID-19 virus and are
discussed above.

The mRNA in the vaccine is enclosed in an oily lipid shell to prevent it from being destroyed inside
the human body. These lipid nanoparticles fuse into the body cells, releasing the mRNA inside the
cells. This mRNA instructs the cell to produce spike proteins.

The spike proteins present themselves on the surface of the cells, or may sometimes break away
from the cells (in cases of cell death). These proteins trigger an immune response by the body and
‘teach’ the body to ‘remember’ how to fight these spike proteins.

Thus, a strong immunity is developed against the COVID-19 virus, and the body automatically fights
back quickly if it encounters the virus in future.
It must be noted that the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine must be stored at cold temperatures (approx. -94
degrees Fahrenheit) to prevent the disintegration of the mRNA present in the vaccine.

3. Moderna
The Moderna vaccine has been developed by the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development
Authority (BARDA), the United States National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID),
and the Americal pharmaceutical company Moderna.

Like the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, the Moderna vaccine is also an mRNA vaccine which relies on the
cells of the body to manufacture a desired protein. The working of this vaccine is almost identical to
how the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine works.

The manufacture of an mRNA vaccine is easier and significantly faster than vaccines that involve
injecting a unique protein into the body. This is because these vaccines rely on the body cells to
manufacture the desired protein saving precious time that would otherwise be used to make the
protein in a lab.

The Moderna vaccine must be stored at medical freezer temperatures to prevent disintegration of
its mRNA.

4. Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen

The Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine has been developed by Janssen Pharmaceuticals, the
Belgian subsidiary of the Johnson & Johnson company.

The Janssen vaccine comes under the viral vector vaccine category. The Adenovirus 26 is used as a
viral vector in the Janssen vaccine. The Adenovirus is known to cause common cold in chimpanzees.

The Adenovirus vector contains a modified DNA that is programmed to produce the spike protein
that is originally found on the COVID-19 virus. This DNA is also modified so that the Adenovirus is
unable to replicate and cause infection.

When the Janssen vaccine is introduced into the human body, the viral vector enters a cell and
pushes its DNA into the cell’s nucleus. The code to produce the spike protein is transcribed into
messenger RNA present in the nucleus. When the messenger RNA leaves the nucleus, it translates
this code to produce the desired spike proteins (with the help of cellular machinery).

These spike proteins then make themselves available to the body’s immune system in various ways
so as to trigger a strong immune response. Eventually, the body ‘learns’ to fight these proteins and
develops the required immunity.

5. Covaxin
The Covaxin vaccine has been developed by an Indian biotechnology company Bharat Biotech in
collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

This vaccine comes under the category of inactivated vaccines that use inactivated versions of the
virus that do not cause infection or disease.
The Covaxin vaccine uses disabled coronaviruses which are unable to replicate when injected into
the body. When the vaccine enters the body, these inactivated viruses invade healthy body cells. The
presence of spike proteins on the viruses triggers an immune response.

This immune response eventually ‘teaches’ the body how to fight the spike protein found on the
COVID-19 virus. Thus, the body develops the necessary immunity to fight COVID-19 infection in
future.