“How to Make a Vaccine: An Essential Guide for COVID-19 and Beyond” by John Rhodes

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Rating: 3/5 Stars

An interesting book on the history of vaccines, how they are produced, and the society issues around current COVID-19 vaccines over development, access and distribution.

Chapter one gives an overview and a history of viruses, starting with the Spanish Flu. A closer look at the viruses that causes SARS and COVID-19 is then given.

Chapter two looks at the history of discoveries on the immune system and how the various cells that make up the immune system detect and act to discover foreign particles in the body and react to eliminate it.

Chapter three looks at the history of vaccination and vaccines. Starting with the story of the smallpox vaccine, it then moves on to the development of live and dead vaccines, the use of adjuvants to improve the response of vaccines, and the development of other kinds of vaccines, including a mention of DNA and RNA based vaccines.

Chapter four looks at what it takes to make vaccines: from the initial research and discovery, through to trials and manufacturing. The vaccine or other chemicals used may fail at any stage or even outside it, if it does not align with the interests of the pharmaceutical company doing the research.

Chapter five looks at the various vaccine technologies available that were used to create vaccines against SARS-CoV-2, some traditional (like dead and live virus vaccines) to the latest (mRNA vaccines).

Chapter six considers whether vaccines are ‘magic bullets’ and shows that they aren’t. Using examples like the search for an HIV vaccine and various flu vaccines, the author conclude that current vaccines need to be good enough to protect people from serious illness. Drugs can also help by reducing the length is the illness.

Chapter seven looks at the challenges faced by vaccines, from anti-vaccination groups, and misinformation to ensuring equal access to vaccines to people from around the world.

Chapter eight briefly looks at the status of vaccines for COVID-19, of which there are many, some already in production, other waiting for approval, and remind us that there are many ways to solve the problem.

Book read from 2021/10/29 to 2021/11/06