Local experts dispel rumors about COVID, vaccination | News

Health officials at the forefront of the COVID-19 pandemic have fought rumors and myths about vaccines, masks, the virus itself, and new viruses that have changed everyday life.

Stacie Larmon, pharmacy director of the Northeastern Health System, said there were rumors and false information from all kinds of sources surrounding the coronavirus vaccine, and some patients were nervous about getting it. She said some people have taken a wait-and-see approach to the mRNA vaccines produced by Pfizer and Moderna.

“Given that it’s a new technology platform in medicine, it’s understandable,” she said. “It’s a recognition that it’s been on the market in less than a year, but in fact, researchers have been working on mRNA as a treatment for about 25 years. Over the last decade, mRNA vaccines have been rapidly marketed. There have been major advances that have made it possible to put it into the market. “

There are countless myths and false rumors about the COVID vaccine, including the conspiracy theory that Bill Gates secretly transplants a microchip into the patient’s arm. This is one of many falsehoods that are widespread throughout online platforms. Another claim is that the vaccine can infect COVID-19. According to Ramon, this is not the case, and all approved vaccines take small pieces of DNA that are used to make peaplomers outside the virus that causes COVID-19. Also, because vaccines use very small amounts of the virus rather than the entire virus, there is no way to increase the likelihood that the virus will cause an infection.

“The vaccine then directs the cells to make speplomer, which in turn activates the body’s immune response,” she said. “Peplomer dissolves through a process that constantly occurs in the body. It basically tells your immune system that when you” look “at it again, it recognizes it as bad and attacks it. is teaching. “

According to Dr. Roger Montgomery, Medical Director of Cherokee Nation Health Services, the process of lysis of peplomer proteins occurs when human cells break down mRNA chains and use intracellular enzymes to dispose of them. .. These types of vaccines also cannot alter a person’s DNA, as the strands never enter the nucleus of a cell or affect genetic material.

Some people suspect that the vaccine causes infertility and that antibodies aimed at protecting it from the coronavirus interfere with the proper development of the placenta. Ramon said there was no evidence to support this claim. She said the rumor was based on the fact that one of the functions of human-produced peaplomers is to attach the placenta to the uterus.

“In a study published about vaccines, at least for Moderna, some patients were vaccinated and became pregnant after being vaccinated,” Larmon said. “I think it’s the same with other vaccines. The portion of the peplomer used in each vaccine was very specific for the SARS-COV-2 virus to prevent the immune system from recognizing it as a target. . “

Another common rumor about the vaccine is that people who have been vaccinated against the flu do not need it, or those with a depressed immune system can be dangerous and should be vaccinated. It means that there is no such thing. However, influenza virus inoculation cannot teach the immune system to recognize COVID as a dangerous invader, Ramon said. The two viruses are structurally different.

“For patients with a weakened immune system, the CDC states that they are eligible for the vaccine,” Larmon said. “They admit that there isn’t much data on vaccination for this population, but point out that the vaccine is not a live vaccine and can be safely administered to immunocompromised patients. These patients are severe. It is important to note that the risk of COVID-19 may be high. “

Those who are worried about certain aspects of the various COVID-19 vaccines currently available should consult their doctor to confirm their concerns.