Infections and deaths continue to rise due to Covid-19 and the news has been discussing the need to get vaccinated to create the needed herd immunity that will allow us to get back to a more normal lifestyle.
Some of you are considering getting the Covid-19 vaccine and I would like to address a few of the main concerns and myths that are circulating.
Rapid Development of Vaccine: Because of the worldwide impact of the pandemic, many pharmaceutical companies prioritized significant resources into quickly developing a vaccine. The situation warranted an emergency response but that does not mean safety protocols were bypassed or adequate testing was not performed. Although this is a novel method of vaccine based on the molecular protein structures of the virus, this system’s biologic properties have been studied for more than a decade. This method allows the vaccine to be free from ingredients that have been voiced as concerns such as adjuvant, attenuators, preservatives and/or materials of animal origin or actual virus.
Effect of Vaccine on My DNA: mRNA vaccines work by instructing cells in the body to make a protein that triggers an immune response and build immunity to particular proteins present in SARS-CoV-2 (Coronavirus). Injecting mRNA into your body will not interact with or do anything to the DNA of your cells and does not affect your body’s DNA unlike the way contracting Coronavirus potentially does, nor does it trigger a harmful inflammatory surge like the virus. After the nRNA does its work, our human cells naturally break it down and eliminate it from our body.
I’m Young and Healthy and Don’t Need the Vaccine: Covid-19 can have serious, long-term complications such as neurological and memory issues, acute renal injury, cardiovascular, respiratory and psychiatric issues and there is no way to know how Covid-19 will affect you.
Additionally, if your body is not prepared to fight the virus, you are more likely to spread the disease to friends, family and others around you. The long-term significance of Covid-19 recovery is yet unknown, but the best way to prevent these complications is to prevent Covid-19 infection. The vaccine is the way to prepare your body to prevent or minimize infection.
The bottom line is that the vaccination gives our bodies the edge to beat this virus, especially those who may have comorbidities. I personally prefer the edge of being able to have my immune system primed and ready to fend off the virus and the virus’ potential damaging inflammatory side effects and its known threat to mine and my loved ones lives.
COVID-19 Vaccine Availability: VaccinateCA, http://www.vaccinateca.com
Our staff members received their Moderna vaccinations last week and will get the second part of the vaccine in the weeks to come.
Dr. Robert Shorey
Shorey Dentistry, Morgan Hill
