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Experts have been saying this for months: the fastest way to end this pandemic is a COVID-19 vaccine.
Now the first ones are almost there and everyone is talking about it. Sometimes it may seem that people speak a foreign language. But don’t worry – you’ll be able to follow along well with the help of this handy glossary.
What is the difference between vaccination and immunization? Regular immunity and herd immunity? A clinical trial and a challenge test? Read on for all the vaccine vocabulary you need to know.
Coronavirus
A type of virus whose outer surface is studded with spike-shaped proteins that resemble a crown. SARS-CoV-2, the specific coronavirus responsible for this pandemic, likely passed from an animal to a human in late 2019.
COVID-19
Respiratory disease that can result from a SARS-CoV-2 infection. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that about 40% of infections cause no symptoms.
Vaccine
A substance that causes the body’s immune system to recognize a particular pathogen (such as a virus) and create antibodies to destroy it. That way, you’ll be better prepared to fight the real thing if you get infected later.
Vaccine candidate
An experimental vaccine still being tested.
Vaccination
The process of administering a vaccine to the body. This is typically done through an injection, although some vaccines can be ingested or given as nasal sprays.
Inoculation
More or less a synonym for vaccination, although it can also describe other methods of inducing immunity to a disease (such as early methods to combat the spread of smallpox).
Immunization
A process that makes someone immune to a disease. This is the goal of vaccination.
Immunity
The body’s ability to fight off an infection, often with the help of antibodies. In active immunity, antibodies are generated through exposure to a pathogen or vaccine. In passive immunity, a person does not make their own antibodies but receives them from another source. Active immunity is longer lasting than passive immunity.
Herd immunity
When enough people in a population have developed immunity to a disease, it becomes difficult for it to spread. In the case of COVID-19, scientists estimate that around 70% of the population will need to be vaccinated to gain herd immunity.
Effectiveness of the vaccine
A measure of how well a vaccine works. If a vaccine is 90% effective, it means that people who received it were 90% less likely to get sick than people who did not.
Clinical test
One way to test the effectiveness of a vaccine by comparing the health results of people taking a vaccine and people taking a placebo, or dummy treatment. Researchers also use clinical trials to see if a vaccine (or another type of drug) causes problematic side effects.
Human challenge test
A type of clinical trial for a vaccine in which study volunteers are deliberately exposed to a virus or other infectious organism. These studies may produce faster results, but are controversial in the case of COVID-19 vaccines because there is no guarantee that volunteers who get sick can be cured.
Adjuvant
An ingredient sometimes used in a vaccine that helps it work better by increasing the body’s immune response.
Adverse drug reaction
A whimsical term for unwanted, uncomfortable and in some cases dangerous side effects. The risks posed by these side effects are weighed against the benefits of the drug, or in this case the vaccine.
Authorization for emergency use
This is a quicker way for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to evaluate new or reused medical products during a public health emergency. Vaccines or medicines are still subject to review, but it is less comprehensive than the typical FDA approval process. At the end of the health emergency, the authorization is no longer in force.
Booster injection
An additional dose of a vaccine that triggers the immune system after the effects of a previous dose wear off. It is still unclear whether booster shots of a COVID-19 vaccine will be needed.
Power
A measure of the strength of a vaccine. Power may decrease over time.
Hesitation on vaccines
When someone delays receiving a vaccine or openly refuses it. This may be due to skepticism about the need; a lack of confidence in the vaccine itself or in the medical professionals who administer it; or if it seems too uncomfortable to get.
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