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> you inject killed viruses This is a phrase that I've heard since forever in discourse about viruses. As far as I'm aware, viruses aren't "alive" in any sens

> you inject killed viruses This is a phrase that I've heard since forever in discourse about viruses. As far as I'm aware, viruses aren't "alive" in any sense other than that they can reproduce - albeit by hijacking a living thing's cellular resources. A virus has no metabolism; even bacteria have metabolic processes, but not viruses. Viruses are almost minerals (and it's been shown that they can be crystalised). So I'm curious to know what it means to say that the virus in a vaccine has been "killed". AFAIAA a virus is essentially a genetic payload and a coat. Damaging the coat would appear to be the wrong way to deactivate a virus for vaccine purposes; so what's referred to as "killing" must be some kind of change to the genetic payload?

didibus 4y ago
It means to remove the parts of the virus that allow it to replicate or cause harm, I think often that's done by removing some of the genetic material of the virus, but it can also be done by damaging its envelope or other methods that would prevent it from being virulent (aka replicating and causing harm)