Types of vaccines

Live attenuated vaccines use live but weakened germs.

This makes them closest to a natural infection, and thus provide strong immunity.

Measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) and chickenpox vaccines are live attenuated vaccines.

Inactivated vaccines use inactive or dead germs.

Quite often, booster shots of these vaccines are needed over time.

Examples are the flu, polio and rabies vaccines. Covaxin is also a vaccine of this type.

Toxoid vaccines protect against harmful substances made by germs called toxins. They use weakened versions of the toxins called toxoids.

These vaccines also often require booster shots.

Examples are the diphtheria and tetanus parts of the DPT vaccine.

Subunit and conjugate vaccines use only a specific part of a germ. They provide strong immunity to that key part of the germ.

These vaccines may also require booster shots.

An example of this is the hepatitis b vaccine. ​​Novavax’s covid 19 vaccine is also a protein subunit vaccine.

mRNA vaccines on the other hand, do not use germs or toxins. They contain a special type of RNA called messenger RNA or mRNA.

mRNA instructs your cells to make the germ’s antigen, which triggers an immune response.

Pfizer’s and Moderna’s covid 19 vaccines are examples of mRNA vaccines.

Viral vector vaccines use the genetic material of the germs to provide the immune system with instructions to make the germ’s antigen.

To deliver these instructions to your cells, the genetic material itself is wrapped in a different safe virus.

Sputnik V and Covishield covid19 vaccines are examples of this.

It is important to know that vaccines not only protect you but your community as well.

Many diseases that vaccines prevent are spread from person to person.

When only a few people in your community are vaccinated the risk of a disease outbreak is high. But if most people are vaccinated it's much less likely for a disease to spread.

This is called herd immunity.

Herd immunity is especially important to protect people who can't be vaccinated. This includes people with weakened immune systems, serious allergies, or certain health conditions.

Vaccines protect you, your family, and your community from diseases that can be dangerous or even deadly.