The Science of Immunity

We all have been through doomsday surfing. Some of us reached a point where we do not want to talk about the virus and the pandemic but now after a long wait we have a vaccine and there is hope again. It won’t hurt to dive into the science of vaccine and understand our immune system and its main warriors, the antibodies.

A disclaimer before we start- I have tried to explain the system in a very simplified manner. The complexity of our bodies is beyond our comprehension. It is not fully understood even by scientists. So you can ask questions but answers are not guaranteed.

The immune system of humans has two major components- The innate immune system and the adaptive immune system. The Innate immune system is present by birth and includes physical barriers like skin, chemical barriers like the acidity of the stomach and cellular barriers including an array of cells with sensitive receptors to detect pathogens. Adaptive immunity is acquired immunity that is induced when we are exposed to pathogens. When we get a vaccine we try to wake up the adaptive immune system. It is this adaptive immunity that is responsible for immunological memory. This means that the body will remember the pathogen and be ready to fight the next time it encounters it in a much robust and quick responsive manner.
Antibodies are part of the adaptive immune system. They are also called immunoglobulins. These belong to the protein family. There are five major classes of immunoglobulins. The most important ones that are studied for serological survey for testing COVID-19 are immunoglobulin G (IgG) and immunoglobulin M (IgM). Immunoglobulin M is the first immunoglobulin class produced in a primary response to antigen/pathogen, and it is also the first immunoglobulin to be synthesized by a newborn. Immunoglobulin G is the most abundant class in serum. Enzyme Linked Immuno Sorbent Assay (ELISA) test is used to detect the presence and amount of these two antibodies.

Now let’s talk about vaccines.
Vaccines are pathogens that are weakened or killed or parts of pathogen that are introduced in the body to generate an immune response and create a memory. Therefore vaccine should not be confused with medicine. It is just a means of exploiting the immune system of the body itself to fight the pathogen. Vaccines facilitate in the creation of memory so that when the real virus comes the body is ready for it.

How to boost immunity
We can start with a proper diet and exercise. These two together work wonders. It’s a proven fact. You too know this but the only thing that is stopping you from having a disciplined lifestyle is procrastination or just laziness. When it comes to health you are your own master. You can make choices- to have prudence or not. Now people can argue that due to lockdown they are not able to go to parks for walk or jog or gyms. The truth is that exercise does require anybody to leave their homes. Yoga, high-intensity interval training or the fun-packed Zumba needs no equipment and can be done at home. It needs only the intention and motivation to get fit. As far as the pandemic is concerned, the only way in sight to get over it soon is to get a vaccine. So make your body an armour to tide over these tumultuous times through the right choices.