Vaccine development stimulates the immune system to recognize and combat pathogens. Vaccines work by introducing harmless components of the pathogen, triggering an immune response that provides future protection. Indian COVID-19 vaccines, like Covaxin and Covishield, employ traditional inactivated virus and viral vector technologies, ensuring robust immune defense.
UPSC Mains General Studies Paper – 3 Mains 2022
UPSC Mains Civil Services IAS Exam Question Paper – 2022
Approach
- Indroduce with emphasising the keyword Vaccine development priciple and process .
- Describe the making methodology of laboratory with the scientific approach ,relevant with COVID -19 vaccines .
- Briefly detail the manufacturing process of Indian manufactures are followed
- Accordingly conclude it.
Introduction
The basic principle behind vaccine development is to expose the body to a weakened or inactivated form of a pathogen, such as a virus or bacteria, in order to stimulate the immune system to produce antibodies against it. When the body is exposed to the actual pathogen at a later time, the immune system is already prepared to fight it and can provide protection from illness.
A vaccine is a biological preparation that improves immunity to a particular disease.
Body
The principle of vaccination is to induce protection against a pathogen by mimicking its natural interaction with the human immune system. To achieve this, the vaccine must contain antigens that are either derived from the pathogen or produced synthetically to represent components of the pathogen. Vaccines can be said to use ‘memory’ of the immune system.
Working of vaccine
Recognition: Vaccination works by recognising new antigens.
Producing antibodies: B-cells act as antigen producing factories.
Builds adaptive immune system: Once the vaccinated body is left with a supply of T-lymphocytes and B-lymphocytes that will remember how to fight that disease.
Memory creation: After the threat has passed, many of the antibodies will break down, but immune cells called memory cells remain in the body.
Approaches adopted by the Indian vaccine manufacturers to produce COVID-19 vaccines
In the initial phase of COVID-19, The Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) has granted the emergency-use approval for two indigenous vaccines: COVISHIELD by Serum Institute of India and COVAXIN by Bharat Biotech.
Covaxin is an inactivated vaccine whereas Covishield is a live vaccine. Live Vaccines use a weakened (or attenuated) form of the germ that causes a disease. Inactivated vaccines use active pathogens, killed either by a chemical or heat. Although the pathogen is killed, or made to lose its reproduction capacity, various parts of the pathogen are intact.
Corbevax – is a protein subunit vaccine, using a harmless Spike (S) protein.
Covavax – Recombinant Nanoparticle Vaccine
Conclusion
There are several approaches were taken by Indian vaccine manufacturers. The vaccines developed by Bharat Biotech use an inactivated form of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the virus that causes COVID-19. The vaccine developed by Serum Institute of India uses a live, attenuated form of the virus that has been genetically modified to be less virulent. All three vaccines have undergone clinical trials and have been shown to be safe and effective at providing protection against COVID-19.
Both vaccines require two doses to be effective, and have been shown to be effective at preventing severe disease and hospitalization due to COVID-19.
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