Whether to have a COVID-19 vaccination or not is one of the most stressful questions of our time. People are fighting about it on television, on social media and even with their friends and family. And, unfortunately, misinformation is at the heart of the conflict.
At Peaceful Living Wellness we strive to alleviate stress. That is why, as the publisher, I decided that it is important to research and report on what is fact and what is fiction in the onslaught of COVID-19 vaccine information.
Join our Community of Peaceful Living Wellness Warriors
and receive a special free gift:
Our Top 5 Tips for Peaceful Living
A NOTE ON MY METHODOLOGY
As a doctoral-level trained researcher, I know that the source of the information being reported is paramount. I also know that, unfortunately, some of our news sources have inherent biases and factual inaccuracies. That is why my sources are all either highly respected medical organizations, institutions of higher education or the World Health Organization.
Three exceptions are the National Public Radio article about how misinformation is disseminated via social media, a fact-check from Reuters, one of the most respected news wire-services in the world and one article from the BBC reporting on false statements by the head of the Russian Communist Party. All three of these sources come out at the top of the list for the most accurate news sources in the world.
The one other exception is one study from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. Because there are people who do not trust the U.S. government, or the related agencies, I included a link to the actual study so that the reader can evaluate the study methodology and conclusions.
DISCLAIMER: All of the information in this blog is for educational purposes only. While much of it is derived from trusted medical sources, it is not to be used in substitution for medical advice from your personal physician. Additionally, this blog only covers information on the three vaccines either fully approved, or approved under emergency use, by the U.S. FDA: Pfizer/ BioNTech; Moderna; and Johnson and Johnson.
WHO SHOULD READ THIS AND WHO SHOULD NOT
This blog is intended for people who are interested in learning more about what research says about the COVID-19 vaccines. You may be leaning towards having a vaccine or you may not. But, in general you just want to know more about it before you make a decision.
This blog is not intended for people who believe that the COVID-19 vaccines are a government conspiracy or who believe that they are a tool of one or both of the U.S. political parties. Nor is it intended for people who believe that research institutions, medical or otherwise, are controlled by corporations who are only interested in having people vaccinated so that they can make money.
LET’S START WITH THE BIG GUNS
I’m going to go ahead and start with “The Big Guns.” Or, in other words, why I ethically believe that unless a person has been told by their medical doctor that they cannot safely endure the COVID-19 vaccination.
- We have an obligation as a society to protect ourselves and others from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- These effects include unnecessary physical suffering and death.
- These effects also include economic uncertainty at varying degrees: A large scale for those who were at an economic disadvantage before the pandemic, as well as those who found themselves at an economic disadvantage because of the pandemic; A variable scale for businesses across the economy due to supply limitations and customer and employee variability due to exposure, illness and death.
- Your rights only go as far as the end of your own nose. You do not have the right to harm someone else through your behavior. That includes wearing masks, practicing social distancing, and being vaccinated.
- And last, but not least, creating herd immunity through population vaccination is the only way that this quickly mutating virus is going to be rendered extinct, thus ending the pandemic.
So yes, I ethically believe that there are reasons we need to be vaccinated. BUT, I also did my research in order to make sure that there would not be more suffering brought-on by the vaccine than that induced by the virus itself.
That research is what I present here.
* PLEASE NOTE: The Fact vs. Fiction list I present here is NOT comprehensive. I will provide links to more fact vs. fiction sources at the end of this article.
Related Post: 10 Cognitive Distortions Keeping You From Achieving Your Health Goals
CLAIM NUMBER 1: THERE ARE MICROCHIPS, IMPLANTS OR OTHER NON-BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS IN THE VACCINES.
This one is 100% false!
Whether we’re talking about the Pfizer/ BioNTech, Moderna or Johnson and Johnson, NONE of these vaccines contain anything non-biological! The mRNA vaccines (Pfizer/ BioNTech and Moderna) contain Messenger RNA, fats, salts and sugar.
The Johnson and Johnson vaccine contains the same fats, salts and sugar, but instead of the mRNA that is found in the other vaccines it uses an inactive (some people use the word “dead”) cold virus to activate the immune response.
Whether the immune response to COVID-19 is produced via mRNA or an inactive cold virus, what is going on is that the genetic material of the mRNA or dead virus is instructing your cells to produce a spike protein that creates the immune response to the virus in your body.
This rumor started after Bill Gates, the co-founder of the Microsoft corporation, mentioned in an interview that, “eventually we will have some digital certificates” helping to keep track of who has been tested, recovered from and vaccinated against COVID-19. This statement about digital record-keeping was then transmuted into a conspiracy theory by the head of the Russian Communist Party touting that Bill Gates wants to microchip people through the vaccines.
The rumor was then rapidly shared around social media and the lie was perpetuated. Gates’ statement has absolutely nothing to do with the vaccines or anything else being “implanted” into humans.
THE VACCINES CAN RENDER WOMEN INFERTILE
This one is also 100% false!
This was a misquoted study about a different spike protein (see above) that affects the growth and attachment of the placenta during a pregnancy. The two spike proteins are completely different and have nothing in common. According to Lisa Maragakis, M.D. M.P.H., the senior director of infection prevention and Gabor David Kelen, M.D., director of the Johns Hopkins Office of Critical Event Preparedness and Response, there is no risk of infertility for women from the Covid-19 vaccines.
To understand how misinformation takes on a life of its own read this: THE LIFE CYCLE OF A COVID-19 VACCINE LIE
HUMANS WILL DEVELOP NATURAL IMMUNITY TO COVID-19
Mostly False
Yes, people who have survived Covid-19 will have natural immunity for a few months. Research has not yet proven how long that will last.
Beyond the problem that while some people will merely get sick if they do contract COVID-19, others will die.
We also don’t know what the lasting effects of being infected could be.
For example, Multi-System Inflammatory Syndrome has been reported in both adults and children. (MIS and MIS-C) This is particularly concerning in children as it is resulting in high-risk inflammation of essential organs and tissues, such as the heart and lungs.
Because we don’t know how long natural immunity will last if you’ve had COVID-19, and because there is variance of immune-response among people who had COVID-19, you may want to consider reinforcing your immune system with the vaccine. However, at this point data is showing that people with natural immunity from having Covid-19 and those who are vaccinated have about the same immune protection.
It’s important to note that while we do not know how long the immunity from having COVID-19 or having a vaccine will last, we do know that both scenarios render people protected.
What we also don’t know is if natural immunity will be maintained as the COVID-19 virus mutates. The reason societies were able to eradicate Measles, Mumps, Polio and other infectious viruses is because scientists were able to develop vaccinations that created an immune response to most of the variants of these viruses.
Notice that I said, “most of the variants.” This is an important question with the COVID-19 virus. As long as the original virus is still rampantly spreading it will be more available for mutation. This is why the Delta variant and now the Mu variant are spreading. If we tamp-down on the original virus, as well as the variants that have already mutated, we can stop mutations.
Next week, I’ll share part two of this series, which covers even more myths and truths about the vaccine.
JEN ROBINSON
Jen Robinson is the creative force behind the wellness brand Peaceful Living Wellness which is dedicated to providing a wide-variety of high-quality wellness information. Jen is also the creator of the Peaceful Living Wellness life coaching division, and offers workshops, individual and group coaching as well as retreats where she guides women in using Mindfulness and Mindset to build their inner strength on a foundation of inner peace. Jen also is the co-creator of the business coaching brand CEO Mindset that guides entrepreneurs in building their businesses without burning out.
The latest addition to her repertoire is that she recently signed-on as the Wellness Director for the business development company Wealthy Women Entrepreneurs . She is very excited to be leading this group of dynamic women entrepreneurs into success in their businesses and lives!
The most important part of Jen’s life are her two very active teenagers, AJ & Layna!
Jen’s Mindfulness and Mindset techniques inform her business, her parenting and her life!
FACEBOOK FACEBOOK GROUP INSTAGRAM PINTEREST
