# RKS: ABOUT VACCINES & PROTECTION - Special Reference To Preventing Novel Coronavirus Infection

# RKS Blog: ABOUT VACCINES & PROTECTION 

- Special Reference To Preventing Novel Coronavirus Infection



1st November 2020

Dear Reader,

The world has never awaited before with bated breath for a scientific breakthrough, and the Pharma companies have never ever struggled against time, for a vaccine to be introduced against SARS-CoV-2 (novel corona) virus that causes the dreaded COVID-19. The very purpose of dreaming of vaccinating the 7.8 billion living souls on the planet 'Earth' is the wishful desire of all - excepting possibly the 1.4 billion who abetted the spread of the current pandemic! 

The purpose of a vaccine is to stimulate the production of antibodies and provide (ON-GOING / long-term) immunity against one or several diseases. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) vaccination can be achieved in 2 ways:

  1. NATURAL INFECTION: The antibodies produced as a result of suffering an infection itself builds up a defence against future attack by bacteria and viruses.
  2. VACCINATION: In the conventional sense, this entails injecting with live attenuated (weakened) species of bacteria / viruses so as to incite production of antibodies akin to those actually produced following an infection, without actually causing the specific relevant disease. 

Vaccines thus reduce risk of getting a disease by working with your body's natural defences to build protection with enhanced presence of antibodies. However, it is paradoxical, but true, that natural infection almost always results in stronger immunity than vaccines. That means the vaccination can never be considered 'the' Golden Standard of acquiring defence against future infection. The key lies in building up the body's antibody armamentarium enough to reasonably ward off infection, and forever, if it is possible. 

Immunity can be:

  1. NON-SPECIFIC: This is referred to as 'innate' immunity and which accounts for the immediate fight put up against any invading bacteria or viruses. Innate immunity is short-lived.
  2. SPECIFIC: This is also called 'adaptive' immunity and is on account of cells called lymphocytes. 

Adaptive or specific immunity, is similar to as provided by vaccines, since it is also long-lived. Thus, it makes sound logic if the activity of the following 3 types of lymphocytes is enhanced. 

  1. T-cells: These are mainly Killer T-cells which kill the invading bacteria and virus even before it can damage body tissue to cause disease. Additionally, there are Helper T-cells which assist the Killer T-cells as well B-cells in their functions.
  2. B-cells: These are mainly plasma B-cells that produce antibodies to fight the antigenic bacteria / viruses.
  3. NK-cells: These are Natural Killer Cells that play an important role in virus infection especially.

Besides the above, there are memory T-cells and memory B-cells that memorize the bacteria and virus already attacked and helps the immunity mechanism to respond more promptly in any subsequent attack with the same species.

If all the functioning lymphocytes are to optimally defend, there are ingredients which can be taken as preventive to spruce up immunity. These ingredients could be nutrients and herbals or nutraceuticals, and include the following.

1. NUTRIENTS: Vitamins and minerals constitute the nutrients that build up immunity. The prime amongst these are:
  • Vitamin C: Minimum optimally required is 500 mg daily of ascorbic acid.
  • Zinc: Minimum optimally required for immunity is 30 mg daily of elemental zinc as either acetate of gluconate salt.
2. HERBALS / NUTRACEUTICALS: The 3 best in the business are:
  • Guduchi (Tinospora cordifolia): Minimum optimally required is 125 mg daily of the extract form.
  • Kalonji seeds (Nigella sativa): Minimum optimally required is 100 mg daily of the extract form.
  • Turmeric (Curcuma longa): Minimum optimally required is 450 mg daily of curcuminoid (95% extract).

How do the daily intake of these nutrients and nutraceuticals assist in building up immunity similar to vaccines, or maybe even spell better outcomes?





Thus, the regular intake of suggested vitamin, minerals and natural extracts provide an ON-GOING immune defence by enhancing:

# Protective lymphocytes & macrophages fighting ability - called CELLULAR IMMUNITY; as well as 
# Production of antibodies - called HUMORAL IMMUNITY. 

The concoction as recommended, if taken, is way superior in upgrading all-around immunity as compared to vaccines which primarily boost antibody production solely. Conventional vaccines can only build up antibodies and, having realised this flaw, many of the newer vaccines (including for COVID-19) are being developed to have additional positive effect on T-cells.

VACCINES FOR NOVEL CORONAVIRUS

In on-going and planned trials 4.7% are for vaccines. Till end-August 2020 over 500 studies have been registered for testing of vaccines against the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Till present, no COVID-19 vaccine trial has been abruptly terminated.
  • MOST PROMISING VACCINES
  1. Moderna’s mRNA-1273 serves as the first vaccine to undergo human trials and is one of the more promising prospects from US.
  2. The University of Oxford’s collaboration with AstraZeneca serves as one of the most promising prospects from Europe.
  • VACCINES APPROVED FOR LIMITED USE
  • China Sinopharm, the state-run Chinese pharmaceutical firm, is producing a vaccine in collaboration with the Wuhan Institute of Biological Products.
  • In Russia, the research institution Gamaleya Federal Research Center of Epidemiology and Microbiology has produced a vaccine named Sputnik V, financed by the state-run Russian Direct Investment Fund. 
  • Experimental vaccine developed by CanSino Biologics (China) was approved to be used for the Chinese military personnel.
  • TWO vaccines developed by state-backed China National Biotec Group (CNBG).
India is working towards vaccinating 20 to 25 crore of its people, about one-sixth of its entire population, against COVID-19 disease by July 2021.

CONVENTIONAL VACCINES VS 'NATURAL' VACCINES

If we look at the 5 most common infectious diseases, namely, hepatitis B, malaria, hepatitis C, dengue and tuberculosis (TB) vaccination is not currently in vogue for at least two of these. Also, amongst the 10 important causes of death, 3 are on account of infectious diseases: lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI: including pneumonia, bronchitis), diarrheal diseases and TB – AND no vaccines available for most LRTIs as well as infectious diarrhea.

Vaccines alone can provide approximately 40-60% preventive protection as has been the experience with influenza vaccines. Even for novel coronavirus, the Indian regulators have decided to approve vaccines which provide at least 50% protection. 

Thus, vaccines alone are necessary, but cannot be the final word in protection. In the current pandemic scenario pertaining to SARS-CoV-2 when vaccines are on the anvil, but not yet available in most countries - including India, one need not sit back in frustrating anticipation - rather the focus should be on NATURALLY vaccinating oneself by combined intake of - 

Vitamin C + Zinc acetate + Guduchi + Kalongi seeds + Curcuminoids extracted from turmeric -

in optimal indicated minimum DAILY amounts.  

Vitamin C and zinc can afford preventive protection against flu – vitamin C has been documented to provide protection as high as 51% and zinc alone as 41%! Hence, the supplementation of nutrients and naturals (herbals and nutraceuticals) can provide effective substitution in absence of more defined measures for communicable infectious diseases. It is but an unsaid rule that these supplements can only offer protection whilst they are being taken and one should not allow their presence in blood to fall below their desired efficacious levels: for example, vitamin C and zinc concentrations should be maintained ideally above 50 mmoL/L and 70 mcg/dL respectively. 

So, the moral of the story is to vaccinate against communicable diseases if these are to be best prevented. Either by vaccines, or by appropriate quantity of supplements, albeit DAILY.



DR R K SANGHAVI

Prophesied Enabler

Experience & Expertise: Clinician & Healthcare Industry Adviser


Location: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

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