End of this Dark Tunnel

           Two years have already passed. Two long years of isolation. Two long years of fear and uncertainty, as we battle against an unseen enemy–the coronavirus. Unfortunately, as this deadly virus continues to progress with time, life also continues to ebb away. Will we ever reach the end of the tunnel? Or do we have to live more years in crippling darkness? 

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      The coronavirus disease, commonly known as COVID-19, emerged in 2019 and became a global pandemic in 2020. It then spread exponentially in the Philippines due to the failure of the government to implement a proper pandemic response. As a result, lives of thousands of Filipinos were lost in almost a blink of an eye. Devastating. Heartbreaking.

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           Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the virus that drives the manifestation of COVID-19. Due to its high transmissibility, it continuously proliferated and adapted in various environments, eventually resulting in several mutations. This led to the development of SARS-CoV-2 variants that were just as monstrous as the original copy; among the most notable ones are the alpha, delta, and omicron variants. These variants differ from the original virus in terms of their transmissibility, infectivity, vaccine response, and COVID-19 severity. 

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        The Alpha (B.1.1.7) variant was a highly publicized variant that emerged and dominated in the United States in 2020. With mutations in its spike protein, the Alpha variant was found to be deadlier and more contagious that the original SARS-CoV-2 strain. Consequently, this variant became the primary target of vaccines, particularly Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson. These vaccines provided protection and prevented the hospitalization of several individuals. However, the ray of hope that was peeking immediately faded away, as the more aggressive Delta variant emerged. 

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            The Delta (B.1.617.2) variant, first identified in late 2020, quickly spread to several countries in the world. It was revealed to be twice as infectious and 80% to 90% more transmissible than Alpha and other previous SARS-CoV-2 variants. It also doubled the hospitalization of infected individuals, especially for those who remained unvaccinated. Worse, the rise of the Delta variant caused the reversal of the COVID-19 trend, which was already declining during the first half of 2021 due to different vaccination programs. People were encouraged to get their booster shots to counter the breakthrough infections that the said variant can bring. Despite this, the sickening battle against COVID-19 continued with the arrival of another peculiar enemy, the Omicron variant. 

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      The Omicron (BA.1) variant took over the Delta variant and became the predominant strain in late December 2021. At that time, the daily cases in the Philippines were already as low as 200; however, this period seemed like a fleeting dream, as the emergence of the Omicron variant immediately caused it to skyrocket to hundreds of thousands. Clearly, it has a higher transmissibility than the previous variants, although it is also believed to be less severe than them. As of today, the Omicron variant remains a variant of concern, and more studies are still needed to characterize it. 

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            Given these seemingly never-ending mutations, modifications, and emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants, the need to weaponize ourselves also increases. This is possible by following the basic safety protocols, such as staying at home, wearing masks, social distancing, and frequent handwashing. Most importantly, we should be inoculated with our greatest hope towards achieving herd immunity, vaccines. 

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        Vaccines are medications that provide individuals with the highest possible protection or immunity against certain diseases. They also come in different types, and as per COVID-19 vaccines, messenger RNA (mRNA), vector, and protein subunit are the vaccine types applied. 

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          Messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccine utilizes a genetically engineered mRNA capable of instructing the body cells to produce the spike proteins found on the surface of SARS-CoV2. This allows the body to create antibodies that could fight the virus, which consequently provides an immunity against COVID-19. Widely used mRNA vaccines against COVID-19 are Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines. On the other hand, vector vaccines places a genetic material from SARS-CoV-2 in a viral vector or a modified version of another virus. Similar to the mRNA vaccine, this genetic material instructs the cells to make copies of the spike protein, leading to the production of antibodies and white blood cells that could defend the body against SARS-CoV-2. Examples of vaccines that utilize a viral vector are Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca vaccines. Lastly, proteins subunit vaccines include harmless spike proteins and other parts of the virus in the vaccine to stimulate the immune system. This also drives the immune system to generate antibodies and white blood cells for protection against COVID-19. Novavax is currently working on a protein subunit COVID-19 vaccine. 

 

              Two long years have already passed, but this does not mean we should give up. The birth of COVID-19 variants may be quick, frightening, and even devastating, but through our continuous cooperation and compliance to vaccination, this battle can still end in our favor. Together, we can break free from isolation, as we hope and walk towards the end of this dark tunnel