Üsküdar Üniversitesi Vocational School of Health Services, Head of Physiotherapy Electroneurophysiology Program, Lecturer Öznur Özge Özcan evaluated the Advantages and Disadvantages of Covid-19 Vaccines.
“New generation vaccines are available in many different varieties”
Lecturer Öznur Özge Özcan answered the question of why these technologies have started to be used against viral infections today with the following statements; “New technological vaccines are used for diseases like cancer and AIDS, beyond infections, because their pathological conditions can be due to more than one cause. For example, let's consider cancer; a viral infection can trigger it. Genetic reasons can also be involved, such as inherited causes. People wonder how we can get rid of these diseases. What we call traditional vaccines used the virus, bacterium, or any disease-causing microorganism as a vaccine. We cannot do this for diseases like cancer because their causes are different; at times, you need technology. These are, of course, prophylactic, meaning protective, drugs that we call vaccines. This mRNA vaccine was first started to be studied in cancer and was worked on for many years. There are mRNA vaccines already available on the shelves, for which WHO has completed phase studies, and they were known before. Prof. Dr. Uğur Şahin, in his work in Germany, introduced mRNA vaccines, specifically mRNA vaccines derived from component vaccines, into our lives. Thanks to BioNTech, there was rapid progress, and their work in the last year and a half has started to establish the infrastructure for such technological vaccines in our country.”
“They produce their own variations”
Özcan, addressing the Covid-19 virus in detail, stated; “Covid-19 is a round virus and, unlike normal viruses, it doesn't have 'feet'; this virus has 'crowns' (spikes) – you can see its shape by searching online. These spike proteins became very important for us when producing vaccines, why? Especially since it devastates our lungs, there are studies indicating it also affects different parts of the body. There is a layer outside our cells; this virus, with its spike proteins, attaches to the proteins on our cells, finds a way to enter the cell, and replicates itself. As you know, Erciyes Üniversitesi has started working on Virus-Like Particles. We cannot use DNA-based vaccines for Covid-19 because Covid-19 only has RNA, meaning it needs a host cell to replicate itself. Now, let me explain simply how viruses replicate. Viruses do not have the necessary materials within themselves; for this, they need a host cell to replicate. Since we are complex organisms, they enter us and replicate. They produce their own variations,' she said.
“Additional doses are definitely needed”
Özcan pointed out that all currently available vaccines require an additional dose; “Unfortunately, we do need additional doses; all currently available vaccines, including the vaccine produced by Erciyes Üniversitesi, definitely require additional doses. Scientists are working on how to reduce this to a single dose. Work is being done on technology that would allow this to be administered in ways other than injection. Don't think, 'If something better is coming out, why am I getting this vaccine today?' Right now, this is what we have to fight with. Tomorrow, we might find a weapon that can defeat it. We will always have a shield, and that is science,' she said.
Referring to domestic vaccines, Öznur Özcan concluded her remarks with the following statements; “ODTÜ-Bilkent Üniversitesi, with their vaccine candidate developed using the Virus-Like Particle method, appears in the WHO list in the preclinical stage, and has started Phase 1 studies at Ankara Onkoloji Hastanesi on March 27, 2021. The Ministry of Health defines VLP (Virus-Like Particle) vaccines as those prepared on the principle that empty viral shells without genetic material mimic the structure of the disease-causing virus and induce antibody production in the host organism. The developed virus-like particles (Viral Shells) mimic the virus in a way that does not cause infection. These non-disease-causing particles elicit an immune response,' she added.