During the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us have become far more familiar with epidemiology and immunology than we ever planned to be. For those of us who are not particularly science-minded, it's been a heck of a journey. Some of us appreciate science and have the utmost respect for scientists, but harbor zero desire to delve into the scientific details ourselves. Or at least we didn't, before a stupid virus upended life as we know it.
Some viral terminology has become household vocab at this point. (Seriously, who ever expected "infection rates" and "variants" to be things the average American discusses around the dinner table?) Others have been a bit hard to grasp, like how the mRNA vaccine works.
You know when you're studying a tricky topic and you come across a word you don't know, but when you look up the word the definition had three other words you have to look up, and each of those definitions have words you don't know, and so on? That's what it's like to try to understand the mRNA vaccine for the average non-scientist.
We do want to know how it works, though. From what the sciencey folks say, it's an amazing breakthrough with far-reaching potential that could change the game for lots of diseases. If we're going to inject something into our bodies, we should know what it's doing. We just don't want to have to get a degree in virology to understand it.
There are some good basic explainers out there that simplify how the mRNA vaccine works, but most of them still include terms and concepts that we feel like we should probably remember from high school biology class but don't. What we need (or want) is someone to explain it to us like we're five.
Thankfully, somebody has.
Vick Krishna has dramatized what happens when the mRNA vaccine goes into your body in a TikTok video, and it's the clearest layman's explanation a non-scientist could hope for. For those of us who have a hard time visualizing the whole mRNA-spike protein-ribosome-antigen-antibody thing, this skit makes it super easy to see exactly how it works.
@hotvickkrishna How the mRNA Vaccine 💉 works #fyp #comedy #skit #covid19 #mrna #coronavirus #vaccine #howitworks
♬ original sound - hotvickkrishna
If you want to get slightly more scientific about it, the vaccine sends mRNA (literally "messenger" RNA) into your body with instructions for how to manufacture the spike proteins (pokey, fork-like proteins) that exist on the outside of the coronavirus. Your ribosomes follow the instructions and make the spike protein. In the meantime, your body (rather poetically) kills the messenger RNA. Your immune system sees the spike protein your ribosomes made, kicks into gear, and starts making the antibodies that will destroy the spike protein whenever it sees it (and by extension, whatever it's attached to, like the coronavirus). Then, if/when the coronavirus invades your body, your immune system is ready. It has the antibodies ready to deploy to take the virus out by attacking those spike proteins.
Cool, huh? Not nearly as fun of an explanation as "fork hands," though.
Funny + accurate. A reminder: • The coronavirus vaccine can’t give you COVID-19. • The mRNA in the vaccine doesn’t… https://t.co/b3hah9vJK7— Shawnté #BLM James, MD 😷 (@Shawnté #BLM James, MD 😷) 1615323907.0
Doctors, immunologists, and epidemiologists are praising Krishna's simple skit for how clear it makes the mRNA vaccine process, with some dubbing his video a masterclass in science communication. Naturally, it's a bit more complex than that in reality, but the basics are all most of us really need to (or want to) know. More of this kind of science lesson, please, across the board.
You can follow Vick Krishna on TikTok and Instagram.
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12 non-threatening leadership strategies for women
We mustn't hurt a man's feelings.
Men and the feels.
Note: This an excerpt is from Sarah Cooper's book, How to Be Successful Without Hurting Men's Feelings.
In this fast-paced business world, female leaders need to make sure they're not perceived as pushy, aggressive, or competent.
One way to do that is to alter your leadership style to account for the fragile male ego.
Should men accept powerful women and not feel threatened by them? Yes. Is that asking too much?
IS IT?
Sorry, I didn't mean to get aggressive there. Anyhoo, here are twelve non-threatening leadership strategies for women.
Encourage.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When setting a deadline, ask your coworker what he thinks of doing something, instead of just asking him to get it done. This makes him feel less like you're telling him what to do and more like you care about his opinions.
Sharing ideas.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When sharing your ideas, overconfidence is a killer. You don't want your male coworkers to think you're getting all uppity. Instead, downplay your ideas as just "thinking out loud," "throwing something out there," or sharing something "dumb," "random," or "crazy."
Email requests.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Pepper your emails with exclamation marks and emojis so you don't come across as too clear or direct. Your lack of efficient communication will make you seem more approachable.
Idea sharing.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
If a male coworker steals your idea in a meeting, thank him for it. Give him kudos for how he explained your idea so clearly. And let's face it, no one might've ever heard it if he hadn't repeated it.
Sexism.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When you hear a sexist comment, the awkward laugh is key. Practice your awkward laugh at home, with your friends and family, and in the mirror. Make sure you sound truly delighted even as your soul is dying inside.
Mansplain.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Men love explaining things. But when he's explaining something and you already know that, it might be tempting to say, "I already know that." Instead, have him explain it to you over and over again. It will make him feel useful and will give you some time to think about how to avoid him in the future.
Mistakes.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Pointing out a mistake is always risky so it's important to always apologize for noticing the mistake and then make sure that no one thinks you're too sure about it. People will appreciate your "hey what do I know?!" sensibilities.
Promotions.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Asking your manager for a promotion could make you seem power- hungry, opportunistic, and transparent. Instead, ask a male coworker to vouch for you. Have your coworker tell your manager you'd be great for the role even though you don't really want it. This will make you more likely to actually get that promotion.
Rude.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Sometimes not everyone is properly introduced at the start of a meeting. Don't take it personally even if it happens to you all the time, and certainly don't stop the meeting from moving forward to introduce yourself. Sending a quick note afterward is the best way to introduce yourself without seeming too self-important.
Interruptions.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When you get interrupted, you might be tempted to just continue talking or even ask if you can finish what you were saying. This is treacherous territory. Instead, simply stop talking. The path of least resistance is silence.
Collaboration.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When collaborating with a man, type using only one finger. Skill and speed are very off-putting.
Disagreements.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When all else fails, wear a mustache so everyone sees you as more man-like. This will cancel out any need to change your leadership style. In fact, you may even get a quick promotion!
In conclusion...
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Many women have discovered the secret power of non-threatening leadership. We call it a "secret power" because no one else actually knows about it. We keep our power hidden within ourselves so that it doesn't frighten and intimidate others. That's what makes us the true unsung heroes of the corporate world.
About the Author: Sarah Cooper
Sarah Cooper is a writer, comedian, and author of 100 Tricks to Appear Smart in Meetings. Her new book, How to Be Successful Without Hurting Men's Feelings, is out now.
The comedic book cover.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
A satirical take on what it's like to be a woman in the workplace, Cooper draws from her experience as a former executive in the world of tech (she's a former Googler and Yahooer). You can get the book here.
This article was originally published on March 25, 2019.