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How the COVID-19 vaccines were created so quickly - Kaitlyn Sadtler and Elizabeth Wayne

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TEDEd Animation

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In the 20th century, most vaccines took over a decade to research, test, and produce. But the vaccines for COVID-19 were cleared for emergency use in less than 11 months. The secret behind this speed is a medical technology that’s been developing for decades: the mRNA vaccine. So how do these revolutionary vaccines work? Kaitlyn Sadtler and Elizabeth Wayne dig into the science of mRNA technology.

WatchThink Dig Deeper Discuss
In the mRNA vaccine, the mRNA sequence representing only a small fragment of the SARS-CoV-2 protein is delivered to cells. This fragment when translated into a protein is harmless but sufficient to be recognized by your immune system. Which protein is it?

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Meet The Creators

  • Educator Kaitlyn Sadtler, Elizabeth Wayne
  • Director Igor Coric, Artrake Studio
  • Narrator Bethany Cutmore-Scott
  • Music Nikola Radivojevic
  • Sound Designer Nikola Radivojevic
  • Director of Production Gerta Xhelo
  • Editorial Director Alex Rosenthal
  • Producer Bethany Cutmore-Scott
  • Editorial Producer Dan Kwartler
  • Fact-Checker Jennifer Nam

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