Emily Howlett: A chat about Covid-19 vaccines (with BSL discussion)

Hello, friends. I just wanted to chat about the Covid-19 vaccines a little.

To watch a discussion between Emily and Adrian Bailey in BSL about vaccines, click play below, or scroll down to continue reading the article in English.

You can also access information and BSL videos about Covid-19 vaccines via Deaf health charity SignHealth (in partnership with other Deaf organisations) by clicking here.

I know quite a few people who are really, REALLY reluctant to get the vaccine. I thought it might be helpful to put some more information out there… Not to change anyone’s mind but to try and ensure such an important decision is being made with (as far as possible), full information, rather than rumours or media waffle.

Again, this is not to try and change opinions, just to (hopefully) make some of the less obvious information a bit more accessible.

The main concern about the vaccine generally follows this thought process: it’s all happened quickly, and we don’t know the long term effects of this brand new type of vaccination.

So here’s a little bit more detail around that statement: We have had vaccine technology for a LONG time. But the Covid-19 vaccines are sometimes being hailed as ‘entirely new’, because they are ‘mRNA’ based.

mRNA just means ‘Messenger RNA’, it is (loosely) biological messages sent from your DNA into your cells, where clever little dudes (or dudettes) called ribosomes use it to make proteins.

In the case of vaccines, the proteins made by the cells resemble a specific virus, which means your immune system starts building up its defences against that virus.

The key part is, the defences are developed without the active virus being present, so whenever your body DOES come across the actual virus, it already has a lot of protective soldiers (antibodies) in place. And they know what to do to protect you.

mRNA vaccines do not alter your DNA. The mRNA in the vaccines will not enter the nucleus (control centre) of the cells, where your DNA is. Once the injected mRNA enters a human cell, it degrades, or breaks down, quickly. In fact, it only stays in the body for a couple of days at most. This is why we need two injections, to develop the best immune response.

mRNA vaccines are not ‘brand new’ at all. While an mRNA vaccine has not previously been on the market, mRNA vaccines have been tested in humans before, for at least four infectious diseases: rabies, influenza, cytomegalovirus, and Zika.

Some concerns relate to the speed with which the vaccines have been produced; which is understandable as it was so fast, it may seem rushed.

However, it is well-documented that the main reason the Covid-19 trials were so quick is simply down to the sudden, enormous amount of money available to develop the vaccines, due to the global nature of the crisis.

Does the speed sacrifice long-term safety though?

Human trials of cancer vaccines using the same mRNA technology have been taking place since at least 2011. 10 years is a long time in terms of discovering vaccine legacy (the long term effects).

A comparison is sometimes made between ‘unknowable’ long-term effects of Covid-19 vaccines and Thalidomide – but the effects of Thalidomide were apparent within 5 years, and science has improved immeasurably since the 1950s..

In 2017, German biotechnology company CureVac published results in The Lancet for a trial of its mRNA rabies vaccine. Last year, Moderna and German researchers published the phase I results of two mRNA vaccines against influenza. In January, Moderna announced results of its Phase I study of an mRNA vaccine against cytomegalovirus, and in April the company reported interim data from its mRNA vaccine against Zika.

So, the mRNA technology isn’t entirely new, even if the press think it might be! We have over 10 years of study into this, and over 4 years of clinical trials, on top of over 250 years of general vaccination developments since Edward Jenner first jabbed a boy with cowpox. (The needles are much improved since then, too…)

It is also worth noting that not all of the current Covid-19 vaccines are using this mRNA technology anyway; for example the AstraZeneca vaccine is of a more ‘traditional’ style. However, all the vaccines have completed huge amounts of investigation and development before being made available to us, and the results are easily searchable. Just be careful where you look!

As I say, I’m not here to tell anyone what to do. I just get frustrated at the lack of detailed knowledge readily available, when people are making these ultimately life-changing and yet deeply personal decisions.

Whether or not you are having the vaccination, I hope that you are safe, well and, above all, confident in your choice. I am not a doctor, or a campaigner, but I am a researcher and I care about you making an empowered, educated decision.

And I am a huge believer in the power of fact, not rumour.

For useful information and BSL videos about Covid-19 vaccines via SignHealth, click here.

Emily Howlett is a profoundly Deaf actress, writer and teacher. She makes an awful lot of tea. And mess. She now has not one, but four grey eyebrow hairs. C’est la vie. She tweets as @ehowlett