Thread by @VincentRK

1/ Cells that make antibodies are called plasma cells. When they become cancerous, you get myeloma.

Im a myeloma doctor and researcher. Even with various chemotherapy drugs, it's almost impossible to kill all plasma cells.

2/ Immunity is a strange thing. It has allowed life to be sustained all these millions of years.

The fact that we cannot easily wipe our the immune system even with lots of chemotherapy tells you how evolutionarily preserved the system is.

3/ Unfortunately the immune system needs some introduction to a new enemy. And it needs some time to mount a response.

COVID was totally new. It surprised everyone's immune system. And it was also virulent and spread very easily. So we ended up with this awful pandemic.

4/ With vaccines we introduce the immune system to the enemy in a controlled and safe manner. Once the immune system, including plasma cells are educated they don't easily forget. And these immune cells are not easy to get rid off.

5/ Antibodies are just a weak biomarker that indicates prior exposure to something. If they are not there it doesn't mean the cells that made them are not there. As I said before these plasma cells and their kids are almost impossible to get rid off.

6/ Moreover our immune system is redundant upon redundant. We make lots of different types of plasma cells and lots of different antibodies. We make memory cells. We make T cells. The redundancy is like an orchestra. It comes together when the virus visits a vaccinated person.

Summary: Get vaccinated. We are blessed and lucky to have effective vaccines.