mRNA Vaccine. 2021. 12 x 24 in. Acrylic on canvas. Mallery Quetawki (Zuni Pueblo). Coronavirus gains access to healthy cells in the lungs. It uses the spike protein on its outer membrane to latch onto other cells. Once attached the virus releases its RNA which is stored inside the membrane. From there it hijacks the cell and multiplies itself before being released to other nearby cells. This causes the active infection. Anything foreign that enters the cells are met with an immune response where the many different cells in charge of fighting off invaders respond by attacking and deploying other protector cells to intercept. This attack causes symptoms such as fever, fatigue and body aches which is a natural response from a healthy immune system. With the mRNA vaccine only the non-infectious part of the virus is used to make it recognizable to the immune system. In this case the information on how to make the spike protein on the outside of the virus is used as a messenger to the immune system. Once the vaccine is introduced to the cells, there is an event that happens where the mRNA is read and translated into the spike protein. Since it is foreign, the immune system responds and stores the invaders information within itself. These are called antibodies. They pass along the information of the invaders to other nearby cells. The healthy cells are now protected knowing that this invader must be met with force the next time it is seen. The membrane that housed the mRNA as well as its contents is destroyed and does not cause infection, however it does cause symptoms of an invasion such as the fever, fatigue and body aches. This far outweighs the actual virus that can overcome the entire immune system and cause damage throughout the lungs and the rest of the body.

finish: matte