What is an mRNA vaccine? & more…

Dear Clever Cali,

My driveway is covered with ice, and I’m slipping and sliding on the way to the car! Help!

Sincerely,

Sick-of-Ice Stanley

Dear Stanley,

There are a number of de-icers you can use to clear your driveway. Sand is one good option – you can buy sand to de-ice walkways in bulk. Rock salt is another option, although experts agree now that large quantities can cause damage to plants and soil. There are some natural de-icers you can buy, such as potassium chloride. I’d encourage you to do more research because results might vary. A long-term anti-ice investment you can consider is the purchase of snow-melting mats.

Hope this helps! 

Clever Cali

Dear Clever Cali,

What is an mRNA vaccine? How does it vary from the typical vaccine?

Sincerely,

To-be-vaccinated Todd

Dear Todd,

What an interesting question! mRNA stands for messenger RNA. Strands of mRNA are released from the nucleus of a cell into the cell’s cytoplasm, or inner liquid. From here, mRNA strands are decoded (hence they get the title of messenger) by translator proteins. The decoded strand of mRNA is a linked chain of amino acids, which are the single units that make up proteins. This chain of amino acids folds to make a protein. So how does that work in a vaccine?

mRNA vaccines employ what I think of as mRNA soldiers. These strands of mRNA enter  cells and tell them how to make a protein that “triggers an immune response.” This way, if the vaccinated person is exposed to the real virus,  he or she will not get infected – they already have anti-COVID antibodies inside their bodies.Normal vaccines (not mRNA ones) utilize inactivated germs. These are sent into the body to produce an immune response, so that the real infection will not harm the body – the immune response acts as a guard.

mRNA vaccines are not brand-new – they have been studied before! Researchers studying this are hopeful that future work can target multiple diseases with just one vaccine.

Remember, wear masks, stay six feet apart, and avoid crowds!

Stay safe,

Clever Cali 😀