Self vaccination?

[Lummy]

So I got into my hot car today that had my facemask sitting in the passenger seat where I left it from the last time I wore it grocery shopping a week ago.

I wondered, should I grab a new mask from the package or reuse this used one? According to what I've read, any coronavirus that might be in it was dead and had been for days. Looked presentable enough to wear in public and still smelled new.

I reused it, assuming that any virus in it was dead by now, and it occurred to me that if there was dead coronavirus in that mask and I inhaled it, then to the extent that my immune system would attack the dead virus, I was basically inoculating myself from coronavirus.

If that was true, then it would seem hospital workers on the coronavirus front lines shouldn't be throwing away or even laundering their used hospital garments and masks soley due to virus exposure and contamination, but instead discarding them into warm or uv or sunny places for a period of time known to kill the virus, then rewearing the same garb if it is otherwise suitable to wear.

Why would this NOT be a good idea? Why wouldn't this basically function as vaccination?

[Private Pickle]

So I got into my hot car today that had my facemask sitting in the passenger seat where I left it from the last time I wore it grocery shopping a week ago.

I wondered, should I grab a new mask from the package or reuse this used one? According to what I've read, any coronavirus that might be in it was dead and had been for days. Looked presentable enough to wear in public and still smelled new.

I reused it, assuming that any virus in it was dead by now, and it occurred to me that if there was dead coronavirus in that mask and I inhaled it, then to the extent that my immune system would attack the dead virus, I was basically inoculating myself from coronavirus.

If that was true, then it would seem hospital workers on the coronavirus front lines shouldn't be throwing away or even laundering their used hospital garments and masks soley due to virus exposure and contamination, but instead discarding them into warm or uv or sunny places for a period of time known to kill the virus, then rewearing the same garb if it is otherwise suitable to wear.

Why would this NOT be a good idea? Why wouldn't this basically function as vaccination?

I think that if that was an option we would have a vaccination already. All you would have to do is colonize the virus...kill them and then inject it into your system. While I'm no virologist I would think that it's a tad more difficult than that.

[ripmeister]

I think that if that was an option we would have a vaccination already. All you would have to do is colonize the virus...kill them and then inject it into your system. While I'm no virologist I would think that it's a tad more difficult than that.

You are correct. It's a tad more difficult.

[Lummy]

You are correct. It's a tad more difficult.

Uh-huh. Oh, okay then ... I'm convinced. LOL.

[Lummy]

I've seen these guys walking around with masks that are turning gray and brown from use. Just filthy dirty looking. Now I wonder if they aren't the healthiest people standing, at least as far as coronavirus is concerned.

[Private Pickle]

I've seen these guys walking around with masks that are turning gray and brown from use. Just filthy dirty looking. Now I wonder if they aren't the healthiest people standing, at least as far as coronavirus is concerned.

It just means their masks aren't protecting them from the live virus.

[Lummy]

What? I can't read what you're saying because I put you and safety on ignore a few days ago.

I highly recommend it to everyone, by the way.

[Dr. Who]

So I got into my hot car today that had my facemask sitting in the passenger seat where I left it from the last time I wore it grocery shopping a week ago.

I wondered, should I grab a new mask from the package or reuse this used one? According to what I've read, any coronavirus that might be in it was dead and had been for days. Looked presentable enough to wear in public and still smelled new.

I reused it, assuming that any virus in it was dead by now, and it occurred to me that if there was dead coronavirus in that mask and I inhaled it, then to the extent that my immune system would attack the dead virus, I was basically inoculating myself from coronavirus.

If that was true, then it would seem hospital workers on the coronavirus front lines shouldn't be throwing away or even laundering their used hospital garments and masks soley due to virus exposure and contamination, but instead discarding them into warm or uv or sunny places for a period of time known to kill the virus, then rewearing the same garb if it is otherwise suitable to wear.

Why would this NOT be a good idea? Why wouldn't this basically function as vaccination?

My best guess is that the answer lays in the fact that the virus is dead. Viruses die when their protective coating breaks down. The protective coating is an antigen (in this case a toxic protein) and the antigen is necessary to trigger an immune response. When vaccines are manufactured, they separate the antigen from the virus and use it in the vaccine to allow the body to identify it and develop an antibody response, so that the next time it encounters that antigen, it throws an army of antibodies at it to kill it before the virus can multiply.

[Lummy]

My best guess is that the answer lays in the fact that the virus is dead. Viruses die when their protective coating breaks down. The protective coating is an antigen (in this case a toxic protein) and the antigen is necessary to trigger an immune response. When vaccines are manufactured, they separate the antigen from the virus and use it in the vaccine to allow the body to identify it and develop an antibody response, so that the next time it encounters that antigen, it throws an army of antibodies at it to kill it before the virus can multiply.

Ahh ... the zoo perspective.

Viruses die for several reasons, one of which is heartbreak. Actually, they don't die. They become inactive, which you understand as "dying".

From heartbreak, I tell you.

[ripmeister]

My best guess is that the answer lays in the fact that the virus is dead. Viruses die when their protective coating breaks down. The protective coating is an antigen (in this case a toxic protein) and the antigen is necessary to trigger an immune response. When vaccines are manufactured, they separate the antigen from the virus and use it in the vaccine to allow the body to identify it and develop an antibody response, so that the next time it encounters that antigen, it throws an army of antibodies at it to kill it before the virus can multiply.

This is basically correct but a little simplistic. There can be many antigenic determinants on a bug be it a virus, bacteria etc. The tricky part to develop a vaccine is finding the right antigen. Some antigenic sites may stimulate an antibody response that is not protective. That has been the case in the attempts at developing a vaccine against HIV. It's not as simple as just exposing one to a dead virus, although "dead virus" is a misnomer as viruses are not "alive", they are obligate parasites. It appears that most of the approaches to vaccine development are directed at the "spikes" on the protein coat of this virus. They seem to be important in the binding of the virus to the target cell. If you can interrupt that binding you may neutralize the virus.