Yes, you are right. It uses the pathogen’s genetic code to instruct your body to create antigens. Think of it as a game patch that the software developers release when they find a specific bug. If deemed safe and successful, it's fast and can be done in as little as a week.

In a nutshell:

• Viruses contain a core of genes made of RNA (or DNA) wrapped in a coat of proteins.
• To make the protein coat, the RNA genes of the virus make messenger RNA (mRNA); the mRNA then makes the proteins. An mRNA of a specific structure makes a protein of a specific structure. Red mRNA makes red proteins, purple mRNA makes purple proteins, speckled blue mRNA makes speckled blue proteins.
• The mRNA vaccine causes our body to make this specific protein that COVID mrna viruses make. Let's say it's cheetah print for ease.
• Our immune systems recognize that the cheetah print protein doesn’t belong there and begin building an immune response and making cheetah print antigens (as when you're infected).
• Unlike when we're infected, our immune system only has to fight the lonely cheetah print spike proteins, not the full virus with its core and its coat.

Yes, you are right. It uses the pathogen’s genetic code to instruct your body to create antigens. Think of it as a game patch that the software developers release when they find a specific bug. If deemed safe and successful, it's fast and can be done in as little as a week.

In a nutshell:

• Viruses contain a core of genes made of RNA (or DNA) wrapped in a coat of proteins.
• To make the protein coat, the RNA genes of the virus make messenger RNA (mRNA); the mRNA then makes the proteins. An mRNA of a specific structure makes a protein of a specific structure.
• The mRNA vaccine causes our body to make this protein
• Our immune systems recognize that the protein doesn’t belong there and begin building an immune response and making antibodies (as when you're infected).
• Unlike when we're infected, our immune system only has to fight the lonely spike proteins, not the full virus with its core and its coat.