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Brooke Baker
Check ” there are no DNA vaccines available for human, those are only used in animals, and the COVID-19 vaccine is actually an mRNA vaccine that tells the body how to produce the virus fighting proteins.” Need to check…might be incorrect
Introduction
Now that our mental health has been acknowledged, the next step is to focus on how to bring an end to this pandemic. One key to ending this pandemic is to prevent the formation of hotspots in dense locations such as college campuses. On college campuses, the dense population and constant contact of students and
faculty in classrooms, dorms, and sporting events allows for the rapid spread of diseases faster than most other locations. To prevent a potential outbreak, precautions must be made to keep both students and
faculty safe, such as meeting immunization requirements or isolating a student if they contract a disease. Vaccines are our best defense against disease and are essential to preventing outbreaks from occurring on college campuses. In recent years, scientists have begun to pursue a new and potentially promising field of disease prevention, DNA vaccinations. DNA vaccinations utilize genetic engineering to fight off viruses and have the potential to completely revolutionize how we prevent disease. Genetic engineering is defined as “the deliberate modification of the characteristics of an organism by manipulating its genetic material”,
and it will affect the development of vaccines for many generations to come (Journal of Genetics and
Engineering, 2019). This type of serum uses DNA to produce antigens and generate the correct type of
genetic information needed to fight off these diseases. Genetic engineering has changed the development
of immunizations by cutting costs, improving efficacy, and creating a safer environment to test
their effectiveness.
Connection to STS Theory
This is connected to the Modernization Theory because as new
technology is created, more advancements in vaccines will greatly benefit society. The Modernization Theory is the theory used to
describe how society and technology synchronously evolve together in stages and create a more modernized world. Some people do not believe that this theory holds true, but this is evidently not the case. Now more than ever, the development of society has relied on the
improvements of technology, which together go hand-in-hand. The COVID vaccine is just one example that has a major impact on our
society. People are trusting scientists to pilot and manage the production of the vaccine in order to return to a “normal life.” The machinery used to create vaccines are advancing and creating a way for vaccinations to cost less but also perform better to eliminate the specific diseases they are made for. As these new mechanics evolve, the required vaccinations are established much quicker and, as a result, are released into society at a faster pace. As these medicines are distributed, these diseases will disappear at a greater r