COVID: How can we reinvent the mRNA vaccine to cope with omikron?

Scientists are finding more and more evidence that the COVID-19 mutant Omicron is causing the COVID-19 pandemic. A new wave around the world is quite certain. Currently, the infection is spreading rapidly in many countries. Even in areas where the rate of vaccination for coronavirus is already very high.

Although it seems that the illness from Omikron is not very severe. compared to the previously heavily invasive strains. But being able to evade immunity in the human body and cause COVID-19 Contacted faster than expected. Experts therefore believe that this situation will lead to another crisis of oversupplying the hospital.

Accelerating the improvement of existing vaccines in time In order to stop omicron before a catastrophic event occurs, it is vitally important, says Professor Deborah Fuller, a microbiology expert at the US University of Washington. Omicron, who has been studying mRNA vaccines for more than 20 years, told the academic website The Conversation that improvements or updates to the coronavirus vaccine can be done within 100 days of knowing all of Ohmicron’s genetic data.

Prof. Fuller said that every mRNA vaccine, whether it’s Pfizer or Moderna, It uses the genetic code on the mRNA to instruct human cells to produce proteins similar to those on the spines of the virus. which this protein is not harmful but will stimulate the body to create immune substances or antibodies in order to resist later infection with the coronavirus.

In the case of omikron, there was a large mutation on the thorn portion of the virus. Therefore, new mRNA strands must be created directly from the omikron genes. To make vaccines effective in dealing with new types of mutants. because antibodies from vaccines that have been updated or updated will be more specific to omikron and can capture the virus to prevent it from entering the human body cells better

Prof. Fuller commented that “People who have received two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, or who have had natural immunity after recovering from COVID-19. other species A third dose of omikron immune booster vaccine can be obtained without additional injections.”

“If the omicron becomes the primary covid strain in place of the delta, People who have not been vaccinated at all will need 2-3 doses of the updated vaccine. It’s possible that someone who hasn’t been vaccinated will receive a combination vaccine. There are 2-3 doses of both old and new injections.”

to update the vaccine Scientists will create A “DNA template” is created first as a mold for the next mRNA strand. This DNA template is mixed with some synthetic enzymes. including the basic protein molecules codenames G,A,U and C.

Enzymes accelerate the process of genetic transcription. Transcription, which generates mRNA strands based on existing genetic templates. by using protein molecules to arrange them in the correct order Unbelievably, this process only took a few minutes.

It takes vaccine researchers three days to produce an improved DNA template. It then took another week to produce enough of the first mRNA vaccine to be tested on human cells in the lab. This will take approximately 6 weeks for the vaccine to pass preliminary testing. Researchers will immediately move to clinical trials in humans. which takes another 2-3 weeks

Prof. Fuller pointed out that clinical trials in this case There was no need for large experimental groups of tens of thousands of people. Or take the trial for several months like in the past. Because many of the testing steps are the same as those of the original coronavirus vaccine. So there is no need to repeat again.

So in less than 100 days, we’ll have a new, improved vaccine that’s ready to fight against omikron. and if the vaccine is quickly approved by the Food and Drug Administration of each country With the factory preparing to adjust the production process to match the new vaccine in advance, Prof. Fuller believes that the omikron vaccine will reach the upper arms of many people in time.