Doctor Writes “Explain It Like I’m 5” Thread On How The COVID-19 Vaccine Works

December 4, 2020, 12:07 pm

A Los Angeles neuroscientist unsatisfied with how public officials have communicated the nature of the upcoming COVID-19 vaccine has written a handy thread in simple language to explain it to the rest of us. Dr. Teagan Wall, who has also written for science-heavy TV shows like Bill Nye Saves the World, uses an easy analogy to explain why even after people get the vaccine, it’s still possible that they could spread the virus to others.

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Her thread was specifically in response to a statement by Pfizer chairman Albert Bourla that could potentially confuse the average person on the effectiveness of the vaccine.

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This is not a surprise. The fact that this, and how the vaccine works, has been communicated so poorly to the public, however, is a disgrace. Here’s a quick “Explain it like I’m 5”
/1 https://t.co/Xaq4ORd3IF

— Teagan Wall, PhD (@TeagWall) December 4, 2020

When asked whether someone who had received the vaccine could still transmit the virus to others, Bourla’s answer offered little to no information.

“I think this is something that needs to be examined,” he said. “We are not certain about that right now with what we know.”

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Dr. Wall decided to fill in what Bourla left out.

“Think of it like wearing gloves,” she tweeted. “The vaccine is preventing you from getting dirt and gunk on your hands. At the end of the day, your hands are clean inside the protective gloves. BUT, the gloves can still have dirt on them.”

Think of it like wearing gloves. The vaccine is preventing you from getting dirt and gunk on your hands. At the end of the day, your hands are clean inside the protective gloves. BUT, the gloves can still have dirt on them. 3/

— Teagan Wall, PhD (@TeagWall) December 4, 2020

Due to the fact that the novel coronavirus is still not well understood, there are different types of vaccines being produced and tested for effectiveness. Regardless of which type wins the race, the CDC has warned that people will likely need to get multiple shots including boosters in order to ensure immunity to the virus is built up in the body.

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This is one of the reasons those who get the vaccine could still potentially spread the coronavirus for a time.

You’re less likely to be coughing (because you’re not sick) but if you DO cough or sneeze on someone else, you could still spread the virus. Just like if you’re wearing gloves, you can still spread dirt. 5/

— Teagan Wall, PhD (@TeagWall) December 4, 2020

“The coronavirus seems to mostly get in through mucus membranes (nose, mouth, lungs, eyes) but the vaccine, ideally, creates antibodies in the blood. This means that if you’re exposed to the virus, you don’t get sick, but you may still have it in your nose, mouth, & lungs.”

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To better explain this, Dr. Wall uses the image of protective gloves people might use to work or clean as an analogy.

“You’re less likely to be coughing (because you’re not sick) but if you DO cough or sneeze on someone else, you could still spread the virus. Just like if you’re wearing gloves, you can still spread dirt,” she says. “This is how vaccines generally work, and if enough people get vaccinated the risk of being exposed goes down, so the risk of getting sick AND the risk of spreading it without being sick goes down.”

A vaccine is NOT a “get out of jail free” card for a pandemic. We so have to wear masks, distance, wash our hands, and avoid touching our faces.

With no vaccine, if everyone got COVID, about 6 million people in the US would die. 7/

— Teagan Wall, PhD (@TeagWall) December 4, 2020

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These vaccines are VERY GOOD NEWS. You can bet my family and I will be vaccinated as soon as it’s our turn (we’re comparatively low risk). BUT, these vaccines do NOT mean you can go party and then cough on grandma. We still need be smart.

Let me know if you have questions. Fin/

— Teagan Wall, PhD (@TeagWall) December 4, 2020

Due to all of these factors, Wall warns that we will need to continue to exercise cautionary measures like wearing masks and socially distancing for a while after the vaccine is deployed in order to finally put an end to the pandemic.

“The hope is that a 90% effective vaccine, combined with our other efforts, prevents the virus from being able to spread at all,” she concludes.

Although the vaccine will not be a “get out of jail free” card, as Dr. Wall puts it, she confirms at the end of the thread that she and her family will be getting it as soon as they can. She just won’t go straight from the pharmacy to grandma’s house.

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*First Published: December 4, 2020, 12:07 pm