A Singularity in mRNA Virus, Virology, and Vaccinology

This chapter explores a singularity in virology—the science of viruses—and vaccinology—the science of vaccines. Relying on the recent experience of the COVID-19 pandemic from 2020 to 2023, it explains the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which is an mRNA virus, and the mRNA vaccines. The SARS-CoV-2 virus has killed 7 million people worldwide and infected 800 million people by the end of 2023. The mRNA vaccine is a novel vaccine in which only genetic instructions are contained, unlike the traditional Pasteur vaccine which is a weakened virus. About 6–7 billion doses of the two mRNA vaccines, the Pfizer’s Comirnaty and the Moderna’s Spikevax, were administered during the pandemic. It is remarkable that there has been continuing disputes over the origin of the virus. Although the virology is a natural progression of microbiological and biological science, a singularity risk may arise when the origin of a super virus cannot be discovered. The mechanism of such may involve subsequent wars and distrust among nations. From the standpoint of a singularity risk, it is important to make the virology research transparent to the public and it is vital to locate the origin of the virus as early as possible once a virus is identified.