29 proteins vs. 1 protein. When you are infected with SARS-CoV-2 you are introducing innumerable copies of 29 different proteins into your body. 1 of those 29 proteins is the spike protein, which is the ONLY protein that your body is introduced to after vaccination.
The entire RNA genome of SARS-CoV-2 encodes for 4 structural proteins, 9 accessory proteins, and 16 non-structural proteins. They all play an important role in the virus being capable of invading and taking over your cells in order to make more copies of itself. During this infection process the virus causes significant damage to your cells and tissues leading to the many varied clinical symptoms associated with COVID-19.
In contrast, the vaccines only introduce the genetic material for 1 protein – the spike protein. Further, the protein has been engineered to not bind as well to your cells (which is the main function of the spike protein in the infection pathway of the virus). It also is not able to make more of itself, so the amount of protein in your system will quickly decrease over the course of a few days – just enough time for your body to build an immune response.
I discussed this in the Instagram live with Liz & Jenna on Tuesday! From a molecular biology/virology perspective, you are most definitely introducing MUCH more risk when exposed to the actual virus as opposed to the vaccine.
Posted on Instagram on June 10, 2021.