To help the St. Louis community understand the importance of vaccination and dispel misinformation of all vaccines, including the COVID-19 vaccine, the City of St. Louis Department of Health (DOH) and the Saint Louis Science Center have partnered to provide informational resources on a variety of vaccine-related topics.
Check out the videos and infographics below to learn more about viruses, vaccines and COVID-19.
Want to get vaccinated? Visit the City of St. Louis DOH website for information.
Join Saint Louis Science Center educator John Nahon for a deeper look at the science of DNA and mRNA vaccines.
Masks are still required in many public places if you are not fully vaccinated, and in some areas like public transportation, they are required regardless of vaccination status. Learn how to make your mask use efficient and comfortable with the help of our Saint Louis Science Center team!
In January, members virtually sat down with a panel of experts via Zoom from Saint Louis University to discuss vaccine development and COVID-19. Members got the opportunity to ask questions to our panel and have an open discussion with each panelist. They were joined by Dr. Daniel Hoft, MD, Phd, Director of Saint Louis University Center for Vaccine Development, Dr. Enbal Shacham, PhD, Associate Director of the Geospatial Institute at Saint Louis University and Dr. Ricardo Wray, PhD, Department Chair Behavioral Science & Health Education.
Check out the recorded discussion.
1 – Mucous membranes run all the way from your nose and mouth through your trachea (windpipe) and intestines. They produce mucus, a field of sticky snot that traps pathogens. Mucus in your nose and mouth are a first line of defense against airborne pathogens.
2 – The thymus gland is where T-cells (a type of white blood cell) mature before specializing into different T-cell types and roles to fight infections.
3 – Lymph nodes are clusters of tissue where white blood cells are stored, ready to be dispatched whenever immune system “messenger” cells show up, requesting backup.
4 – Lymphatic vessels run parallel alongside your blood vessels, and use the movement of surrounding muscles to move cellular waste and white blood cells where they need to go throughout your body.
5 – The spleen also stores specialized white blood cells (B-cells and T-cells), and filters out old blood cells and antibody-coated bacteria for disposal.
6 – Your skin is the largest organ of your body, and is made up of multiple thick layers of cells that block pathogens from getting in and infecting you.
7 – Bone marrow is where white blood cells are made. These new white blood cells will be trained to attack invading pathogens.
Macrophage
Macrophages are the first responder white blood cells at the scene of a possible infection. Macrophages engulf and dissolve pathogens, get rid of dead cells, and send chemical signals to activate additional immune system cells.
Helper T-cell
Helper T-cells are a type of multi-tasking white blood cell that receives identifying information (intel) on invading antigens from dendritic cells. They quickly multiply and take on special roles based on the information they receive.
Neutrophil
Neutrophils are the first reinforcements to arrive at a potential infection site. These white blood cells trap and kill invading pathogens so violently, they are programmed to selfdestruct after 5 days in order to minimize friendly-fire damage.
Killer T-cell
Killer T-cells are white blood cells designed to take out a specific, recognized pathogen.
Dendritic Cell
Dendritic cells collect remains of the invading threat (antigens) to analyze, ID, and decide what kind of help is needed next. Information on unfamiliar antigens is shared with Helper T-cells.
B-cell
B-cells are white blood cells that hang out in the lymph nodes and produce antibodies (special proteins that latch onto invading pathogens so they can be destroyed) against specific germs when given instructions from Helper T-cells.
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Some vaccines expose your immune system to pieces of a germ, others to a whole germ that is inactivated or even dead. These pieces can’t make you sick, but they can prepare your immune system to recognize and protect you against future exposure to specific pathogens that cause disease.
No vaccines use a live, full-strength germ or toxin.
TYPE | HOW IT WORKS | EXAMPLES |
|---|---|---|
| Subunit Vaccines | Subunit Vaccines contain and introduce pieces of a germ’s makeup, like an outer protein, sugar, or just its outer shell. | Shingles, Human Papillomavirus, Meningococcal Disease, Hepatitis B |
| Live Attenuated Vaccines | Live Attenuated Vaccines use a weakened version of a pathogen. The modified infectious agent can’t make you sick, but it can it still trigger an immune response strong enough to protect against future exposure to the real thing | Chickenpox, Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Smallpox |
| Toxoid Vaccines | Toxoid Vaccines use an inactivated form of a toxin (harmful substance) that is made by germs that cause disease. | Tetanus, Diphtheria |
| Inactivated Virus Vaccines | Inactivated Virus Vaccines use whole inactivated or killed (dead) pathogens. | Rabies, Hepatitis A, Polio, Influenza |
| mRNA Vaccines | mRNA vaccines provide the instructions for a protein from a pathogen that your cells can create and use to mobilize your immune system. The messenger RNA (mRNA) breaks down very quickly, so it is only intact long enough to be used by your body to make the needed identifying protein before falling apart. | COVID-19 (Pfizer and Moderna) |
| DNA Vaccines | DNA vaccines use DNA (blueprints or instructions) for protein pieces from a pathogen that your immune system can then learn to recognize and destroy if you are exposed to the actual germ. The DNA vaccine cannot replicate, combine with, or change your own DNA. The DNA instructions fall apart very quickly, and are around only long enough to provide the information your immune system needs to protect you from future pathogen exposure. | COVID-19 (Johnson & Johnson), West Nile Virus in horses, Melanoma in dogs |
Your cells use the vaccine information to naturally produce the spike proteins as part of its normal protein production process so your immune system can protect you from future COVID-19 virus exposure.
mRNA Vaccine
1. mRNA (messenger RNA) Vaccine delivers COVID-19 spike protein instructions to the protein factories in your cells. The mRNA falls apart quickly on its own after being translated.
2. cell nucleus
3. ribosomes (protein factories)
4. COVID-19 spike proteins
5. Immune response creates antibodies to fight spike proteins
6. immune response antibodies disable spike proteins on COVID-19 virus upon future exposure
DNA Vaccine
1. DNA Vaccine delivers DNA instructions for spike proteins to the nucleus of your cells. It does not combine with or change your DNA. The instructions go through normal cellular protein production, being copied into mRNA , and sent to ribosomes for spike protein production.
2. cell nucleus
3. ribosomes (protein factories)
4. COVID-19 spike proteins
5. Antibodies against spike proteins created
6. C-19 virus disabled by antibodies during future exposure
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The Saint Louis Science Center is proud to be a collaborator with the Smithsonian in developing a coordinated, national approach to vaccine education.
