hey! so normally I'm 100% for vaccines and all but I'm,, suspicious about the COVID vaccine bc of the rushed timeline and Pfizer's history. I also have some personal mental issues that's making it difficult for me to break down the likelihood of the vaccine being dangerous/fake/etc and was wondering if you could help me with that? What do you think the likelihood is that Pfizer faked their data? Or that the vaccine has long-term side effects? Or that it was dangerous materials in it?
I've been wanting to write something about this, so I thank you for this question!! I am confident in the vaccine, and will be getting it as soon as I'm allowed. I have done my research, spoken to physicians within my family who have also done their research, and am happy to say that a lot of the fears people have are unfounded. Let's get into it!
No. It was prioritized. The Covid vaccines, to receive approval, have undergone all of the same trials, rules, testing, and processes as every other vaccine. No corners were cut. Over 45k were used in human trials. The reason most vaccines take a number of years is because a) availability of persons with said illness for testing, b) availability of persons willing to undergo human trials, c) resource availability (scientists work on a number of things), and d) funding. The covid vaccines could move faster than usual through these barriers, for obvious reasons, leading to quicker outcomes.
Pfizers history? Likelihood that they faked their data?
They have had a number of lawsuits against them throughout their existence as a company (best known for Chapstick, Advil, and Prep), most involving undisclosed side effects in medications they have produced. Some involving unapproved human trials. Vaccines are, of course, different from medications. However, the Covid vaccine has undergone extensive external review and has been found valid and safe.
Wall Street Journal - FDA review confirms safety and efficacy of Pfizer coronavirus vaccine
Medical Xpress - Pfizer vaccine results published in peer-reviewed journal
The New Daily - FDA publishes first peer-reviewed report on Pfizer trial as Britain rolls out COVID vaccine
The New York Times - Pfizer’s Vaccine Offers Strong Protection After First Dose
BBC News - Safety data on Pfizer jab released by US
Vaccine long term side effects?
This is hard to say! However, the nature of how the vaccine works leads to minimal concern about long term side effects. To quote a physician I'm related to when I asked him about it, "I imagine the worst it could do would be....not work for someone, so that they still get Covid." Let's jump to the next question to see why that is.
Dangerous materials in it?
Vaccines train the immune system to recognize the disease-causing part of a virus. Traditionally, this means they contain either weakened viruses or purified signature proteins of the virus.
But an mRNA vaccine is different, because rather than having the viral protein injected, a person receives genetic material – mRNA – that encodes the viral protein. Think of it like instructions to make a fake shell of the virus. When these genetic instructions are injected into the upper arm, the muscle cells translate them to make the viral protein directly in the body. Your body creates the fake shell, which looks like the virus.
This approach mimics what the SARS-CoV-2 does in nature – but the vaccine mRNA codes only for the critical fragment of the viral protein. This gives the immune system a preview of what the real virus looks like without causing disease. This preview gives the immune system time to design powerful antibodies that can neutralize the real virus if the individual is ever infected. In conclusion, your body creates a dummy virus uniform with no virus inside of it. Your immune system then learns how to defeat it, without risk of harm. That way if it ever runs into the real virus, it sees the shell and knows how to effectively attack.
While this synthetic mRNA is genetic material, it cannot be transmitted to the next generation! This means your body won't continue creating fake shells. After an mRNA injection, this molecule guides the protein production inside the muscle cells, which reaches peak levels for 24 to 48 hours and can last for a few more days. So essentially, you create fake shells for a few days, then you stop. It doesn't keep going forever, which I know some folks were concerned about.
It is a trustworthy, worthwhile vaccine. If you don't want to go first, that's alright! It will be first responders, essential workers, and folks in long term care facilities who will receive it this year and early next. But I do encourage everyone to take it if they are at all optioned to.
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