The Story of Viruses and Vaccines
This is a virus particle. It’s a blob of fat with genetic code inside. It randomly flits about until one of two things happens: 1. The fat dissolves and the code disintegrates. 2. It bumps into something it can attach to. It can attach to lung cells. If someone inhales it, option 2 might happen. Otherwise, option 1 will happen. This is a lung cell. It hangs out in your lung enabling you to breathe and making more lung cells. This virus particle bumped into a lung cell and attached to it. The virus particle transferred its genetic code into the lung cell. It’s no longer a lung cell. It no longer enables you to breathe. It’s now a repurposed factory making virus particles. When the former lung cell fills up with virus particles, it bursts and releases the virus particles to go and try to randomly bump into cells they can attach to. They don’t have far to go. They’re already in your lung. Your lymphatic system will sweep some of these virus particles up along with all ...