Pictured Above: Caitlyn Roland is a senior biology major and president of the USF St. Petersburg Pre-Med Club.
Trevor Martindale | The Crow’s Nest
By Caitlyn Roland
I recently received my first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Two weeks out from my second dose, I will be able to visit with members of my family who have been vaccinated without worrying about putting them in danger. I’ll be able to see my grandparents with a clear conscience. Not to mention that I’ll be able to travel, go to concerts and attend classes regardless of whether they require vaccines for participation.
You may be reading this with some preconceived notions about the COVID-19 vaccine: But I am writing this to dispel any doubt or skepticism you may have.
If you have a friend or a loved one who is vaccine-hesitant or anti-vaccine, I encourage you to approach the situation with care. Ask them what their concerns are. Recognize that their misconceptions stem from fear of the unknown.
By being kind, understanding and informative, we can have a stronger influence on these individuals. Our goal should be to uplift and inspire people to make this decision out of interest for their own health, and in turn, the health of the community.
Myth: “The COVID-19 vaccine was rushed.”
According to Dr. Anthony Komaroff of The Harvard Letter, The COVID-19 vaccine was made using mRNA technology. This kind of vaccine has been under development for over 30 years.
In order to explain this technology, I’ll have to teach a little biology lesson.
Komaroff explains that viruses are made up of a core of DNA or RNA that are coated in proteins. The DNA (or RNA) contains instructions to make messenger RNA (mRNA). mRNA has instructions to make protein. This is how the majority of cells function.
Many vaccines are made up of a weaker version of the virus, or a piece of the virus’s protein coat. When the vaccine enters your body, it teaches your immune system cells how to fight the virus. So if you are infected in the future, your body will know how to fight the virus efficiently and effectively.
The mRNA vaccines are made up of mRNA, a set of instructions used to make proteins in a cell. Once injected into the body, mRNA synthesizes proteins called “spike proteins.” These harmless proteins are present on the surface of COVID-19 cells. The immune system recognizes the mRNA and proteins as foreign, so the immune cells consume and destroy these cells. This process allows the immune system to learn what these proteins look like and how to effectively destroy them.
If one were to be infected with COVID-19 after receiving the vaccine, their body would have an excellent immune response due to previous exposure to those spike proteins. This prevents those who receive the vaccine from death and severe cases of COVID-19
Myth: “The COVID-19 vaccine will alter my DNA.”
DNA is a set of instructions that help molecules create mRNA. Once those instructions are read and the mRNA is made, it leaves the nucleus and makes proteins in the cytoplasm (watery, gel like substance that suspends structures in the cell). Once the mRNA leaves the nucleus, it does not return.
The mRNA in the COVID-19 vaccine is consumed and destroyed by your immune system cells. This makes it impossible for mRNA to enter the nucleus, where your DNA resides. Therefore, it cannot interfere with or alter your DNA.
Myth: “The COVID-19 vaccine will infect me with COVID-19.”
The only way you can be infected with COVID-19 is through the live virus itself. Since the COVID-19 vaccine does not contain the live COVID-19 virus, it is impossible to become infected by the vaccine.
Myth: “The COVID-19 vaccine is not effective.”
Let’s break down the efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccines according to statistics gathered by the CDC.
The Pfizer BioNTech vaccine is a two dose mRNA vaccine. It is 95 percent effective in preventing infection with COVID-19.
The Moderna vaccine is also a two dose mRNA vaccine. It is 94.1 percent effective in preventing infection with COVID-19.
The Johnson and Johnson vaccine is a single dose viral vector vaccine. It is 66.3 percent effective in preventing infection with COVID-19.
For context, with the flu (which has strains that change every year), the effectiveness of the flu vaccines created are anywhere between 40 and 60 percent effective.
“What about the long term effects of the COVID-19 vaccine?”
This is a red herring often used to dissuade people from getting the vaccine. “What if there are adverse effects a year from now? Or five years from now? How about ten?”
This can go on and on. I could explain how some of the oldest vaccines have not shown adverse long term effects even after decades. But one can always argue that maybe it’ll take effect after 40 years, maybe 50.
In response to this argument, I would recommend a cost-benefit analysis. How many people have been reported dead from COVID-19 in the U.S.? 550,000 and counting. There have been over 3,400,000 reported infections in the U.S. According to the CDC, COVID-19 infection can have long term effects on your brain, lungs and heart.
COVID-19 infection has led to pneumonia, strokes, seizures, blood clots and many other ailments. Unlike an unpredictable virus, the technology used in these vaccines have been studied and improved for decades.
Any potential risk of taking the COVID-19 vaccine is miniscule in comparison to the known and expanding risks and problems associated with being infected with COVID-19.
An individual would be putting themselves at a greater risk by not getting the vaccine.
“I’m young, so I don’t need the COVID-19 vaccine.”
According to the CDC, almost 8,000 individuals from 0-39 years of age have died from COVID-19 in the U.S. Over 8,000,000 individuals between age 0 and 29 have been infected with COVID-19. Not only should you want the vaccine for your own safety, but you should want it for the safety of others.
Young people with COVID-19, often asymptomatic, are likely to transmit the virus to those around them. Would you be comfortable with the burden of having infected a neighbor, friend or family member? COVID-19 infection also puts you at risk of developing numerous long term health problems, as mentioned earlier. You may not hold enough value to your own health, or the health of strangers in your community. If not, you should at least get vaccinated out of love and respect for your loved ones.
“Things aren’t going to go back to normal anyway, so I have no reason to get the COVID-19 vaccine.”
The CDC has advised that we continue wearing masks and socially distancing in public, even if we are fully vaccinated. This may make people less inclined to be excited about getting vaccinated. The truth is, the more people get vaccinated, the faster we can pare down the safety guidelines. So why not contribute to speeding up the process?
“I have already had COVID-19, so I am immune without the COVID-19 vaccine.”
According to the CDC, experts do not know how long immunity lasts after contracting COVID-19. This is another cost-benefit analysis situation. It would be safer to get the vaccine even after having recovered from COVID-19. This greatly reduces the risk of contracting COVID-19 a second time.
Why it doesn’t matter which vaccine you get:
Regardless of the vaccine, they have all shown 100% efficacy in preventing death from COVID-19. They are also extremely effective in preventing severe cases. Regardless of which vaccine you recieve, you are still getting much needed protection and immunity from COVID-19.
How you can get the COVID-19 vaccine:
The COVID-19 vaccine is now available to all adults 18 and over in Florida. CVS, Publix and Walgreens are administering vaccines. On the website floridahealthcovid19.gov/vaccines/, you can search for a vaccination site near you.
When forming opinions and making a decision about any given topic, it is important to conduct research on your own, drawing from multiple sources. You must be wary about consuming misinformation and disinformation.
Do you miss being able to go grocery shopping without a mask? Do you miss visiting your at-risk loved ones without a sense of worry and guilt? Do you care about the well being of the individuals in your community? Well, I have some good news for you. You can be a part of the solution. Get your COVID-19 vaccine. Spread the word and encourage others to do the same.
