IN this week's community column, health writer Lucy Dunn breaks down a few Covid vaccine rumours...
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THE Covid vaccine is en route to hospitals around the UK. Last Tuesday, the first recipient of the vaccine, 90-year-old Margaret Keenan, enthused that she was “so privileged” to get the jag.
However, amongst the excitement, another type of nervous tension is emerging: in the form of anti-vaxxers.
Social media is spreading rumours like wildfire, and some of the largest concerns include: (1) the vaccine was produced “too fast” to be safe; (2) the mRNA vaccine has the potential to “alter our DNA”; and (3) we don’t know enough about the side effects to use them.
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The Pfitzer/BioNTech vaccine was produced faster than normal, but for very context-specific reasons: masses of funding has gone into it due to the impact of coronavirus globally; there has been no problem pitching the vaccine for market due to universal acceptance of its purpose and need; and there have been masses of volunteers participating, something that other studies often take longer finding.
DNA is a double-stranded chain of nucleic acid, whilst RNA is a single-stranded chain of ribonucleic acid. Although they sound similar, DNA and RNA have different constituent parts and functions, and whilst their actions are related, RNA cannot alter DNA.
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In terms of side effects, as Dr David Hepburn, an intensive care consultant from Newport, said to WalesOnline: “Vaccines are one of the safest treatments you can give people…vaccines are not a drug, so they have got no pharmacological ingredients that are going to affect you in the same way drugs do.”
What can occur, rarely, is an immune response; in a tiny fraction of people this can lead to side effects like muscle paralysis and feeling generally ill. But this risk exists with all vaccines, and it is thought you have a higher chance of being struck by lightning than experiencing this.
There is risk with everything, and risk is relative. Although the vaccine news may seem overwhelming at times, it is always worth stepping back to get perspective.
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