Written by Dr. Anthony Wong

It’s already been 6 years since then. Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has been declared a pandemic. Driven by the World Health Organization, the topic of vaccines and the immune system remains ingrained in our cultural conversation, from the political arena to the dinner table.

The debate about vaccination extends beyond the scientific community; Controversial changes to recommended vaccination schedule for children Among other changes in public health policy: Cutting funding for vaccine development.

These changes occur simultaneously with the following reports: increase in occurrence Epidemics of measles-like infectious diseases in Canada and other countries historically free of measles.

Scientific evidence shows that Vaccines helprather than hindering our immune system. Each of us has a team of immune cells that protect us from foreign invaders and “pathogens” (harmful bacteria and viruses that make us sick, such as the coronavirus and viruses that cause the common cold).

front line defender

There is 2 types of players Each team of our immune cells plays a different role. The first is our “front-line defenders” who are alert to pathogens invading our home base and can respond immediately.

These immune cells are “Innate” immune cellspresent in peripheral tissues around the body, such as the respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract, and even the surface of the skin. Their job is to eat and quickly eliminate pathogens. A process called “phagocytosis” (from the ancient Greek word meaning “to eat”) or indirectly target pathogens by releasing toxic compounds into the surrounding environment.

Normally, innate immune cells are able to fight off invading pathogens on their own. However, in some cases, the enemy team is so strong that the front-line defenders are overwhelmed and call for backup.

advanced responder

Another role that innate immune cells can play when things get tough is to hand off the immune response to a second type of immune player, the “first responder.”

These immune cells are “Adaptive” immune cellsmust be activated by innate immune cells that encounter a pathogen in order to respond.

Innate immune cells instruct adaptive immune cells how to recognize the enemy based on the unique molecular components of the enemy team’s bacteria and viruses. Once adaptive immune cells have acquired a target, they mount a strong and highly specific response against the target pathogen.

Adaptive immune cell players include B cells. antibodySmall molecules that bind to target pathogens and remove them from the body, and T cells that can directly kill pathogen-infected cells or provide additional support to B cells.

Importantly, some of the adaptive immune cell populations can retain memory Therefore, if we encounter the same pathogen again in the future, the acquired immune cells will be able to clear the infection much faster, without the need for activation by innate immune cells.

team training

Our immune cell teams can develop defenses against pathogens after fighting an infection, but vaccines train our immune cells beforehand without us getting sick.

Vaccines contain pathogen components A damaged version of a pathogen that does not have the ability to target or cause disease.

for example, New coronavirus infection vaccine It contains a molecule called “.mRNA” encodes a small component of the virus that causes COVID-19, but is not the virus itself.

This allows our immune cells to learn how to recognize and respond to the coronavirus in advance of a potential infection. Specifically, adaptive immune cells that retain memory of the response could provide long-term protection should an actual COVID-19 infection be encountered in the future.

Simply put, vaccines train our immune players to be ready for big games before they face the opposing team, and that’s what any good coach would recommend.

move forward

Vaccines, including the mRNA vaccines used for COVID-19, are not a new strategy for disease prevention. Vaccines have been used safely and effectively for decades to protect us from a variety of infectious diseases.

for example, Successful vaccination campaign against smallpox It led to its eradication from the world in 1980, and is widely considered to be a milestone in modern medicine. Vaccines are now highly regulated and monitored. medical personnelincluding local public health authorities Pediatricians, etc.

Here in Canada, new vaccine technology is currently being developed by leading researchers in the field of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and other diseases. These continued efforts will equip current and future generations with immune protection against enemies old and new, and allow vaccines to continue to provide teams with home advantage.

Dr. Anthony Wong I am a postdoctoral fellow at UBC School of Medicine. This article was republished from the original on February 18, 2026. conversation Under Creative Commons License. To republish this article, please see below. original article.