Does the shot mess with your DNA?

[Floor_Nurse]

The way that this Covid vaccine works is quite different from the flu shot. The Covid vax. is not a (dead) bacteria or virus being injected into your body. (With Pfizer & Moderna) RNA (called messenger RNA) that's been coded in a lab goes into your arm. The RNA has instructions, or a code, that gets deposited on the cell. The ribosomes of the cell make a spike protein. It looks similar to the spike protein on the surface of the actual Corona virus. Then your body is supposed to make antibodies (antigens) that goes after the spike protein and neutralize it. 

The problem is that this has not been tested in any long-term studies, so, this is more of an experiment. We don't know whether or not the DNA gets permanently changed (possibly bad). We're talking about something that's not supposed to be in your body (made in a lab) that can bind to the surface of your cells and possibly may not be able to be reversed. 

Also, since the drug is still being evaluated for long term adverse effects, pregnancy, etc., the FDA would not license the drug, but instead, put out as EUA... Emergency Use Authorization.

[MunoRN, RN]

3 hours ago, Shelby91 said:

Snark-free reply, no, I cannot name a certain vaccine that has taken years to prove that it's harmless. I really don't know. What I do know is that I have read about some SERIOUS sicknesses that have happened to some people immediately after getting this vaccine. One of them being a doctor that developed an ITP at 55 years old after getting this shot. Could it be coincidence? Of course it could, but it might not have been. Immune mediated diseases can be and are often triggered by environmental factors. I agree that there is way too much misinformation out there. But I feel confident in my ability in being able to distinguish right from wrong atleast 90% of the time. I also agree that misinformation leads to hysteria. And as far as other vaccines with different mechanisms of action, I would possibly consider them. I try not to think with a closed mind. I may even get this one some day, I just want to wait for a while.

ITP, along with GBS, is a known, although rare adverse effect of a number of vaccines.  

The incidence of ITP following a viral illness though is much higher than the incidence following a vaccine, the common cold alone accounts for more cases of ITP annually than vaccines do.  This is why viral vaccines are more like to prevent ITP than they are to cause it.

Although the rate of ITP caused by both vaccination and natural illness is scant compared to the rate of life-threatening blood clotting disorders that occur due to a Covid-19 infection, so if you want to avoid a fatal blood clotting disorder then a Covid vaccine is one of the best ways to do that.

 

[MunoRN, RN]

3 hours ago, Shelby91 said:

Whoa, you're really reaching out there. What I choose for my personal health and body has nothing to do with my patients. LOL I can't understand the logic behind that. 

Exactly, whether you ever wash your hands or not is a choice for your own personal health and body, and has nothing to do with your patients.

[swirt1958]

I continue to be stunned by healthcare workers who refuse a flu shot and now COVID vaccines. It's one thing to have a health condition that provides a legitimate reason to pass, but frankly if you are going to work in healthcare, you must put the needs of your patients at or near the very tip top of your priorities. We know that much of the overwhelming spread of COVID came from those who are ASYMPTOMATIC, and that probably includes many of you non-vaxxers. For those of you are who are not in healthcare, the decision to vaccinate for the flu, for COVID or hey, back in my day, for smallpox and polio was as much for ones self as it was for the community, family, friends, etc.  If you can't put your vulnerable patients at the forefront then get out of healthcare.

[swirt1958]

3 hours ago, Shelby91 said:

Whoa, you're really reaching out there. What I choose for my personal health and body has nothing to do with my patients. LOL I can't understand the logic behind that. 

Holy moly.....where's your sign?

 

[JadedCPN, BSN, RN]

1 hour ago, MunoRN said:

Exactly, whether you ever wash your hands or not is a choice for your own personal health and body, and has nothing to do with your patients.

THIS!

[SmilingBluEyes]

I am just amazed. Simply amazed. Woo does not replace science, nor do "instincts". Unbelievable. Did some of us miss "science" classes in nursing school?  I mean, after all, it is a Bachelor's/Master's in SCIENCE degree. Mark me down as confused and befuddled.

[SmilingBluEyes]

2 hours ago, nursej22 said:

I am not going to discount the emotional factor around getting vaccinated. But I can speak to my emotions about getting vaccinated:

I am so happy that I feel I can safely hug my grandchildren again. 

Throughout the pandemic my partner and adult child have been working outside the home, so every day is a opportunity for exposure. Vaccination puts me much more at ease that I am not going bring serious illness home. 

Schools are resuming in-class sessions. Part of the hold up in my area is that the teachers balked about their safety. Getting vaccinated has helped to feel safer. 

I live near the Canadian border and our local economy has taken a huge hit from lack of cross border shoppers. Vaccination makes reopening happen sooner. 

The thought of families being able to visit relatives in care facilities is huge. I've helped to test these folks and they look so forlorn at being shut away. 

In our county we have had 7000 cases, and 86 deaths. In contrast, we have given 58000 vaccines, without serious incident. 

I'm okay being a guinea pig, if that's what you want to call me. If I supply data as to the effects of the Moderna vaccine, then so be it. 

all.   of.   this.

[CABGpatch_RN, BSN]

4 hours ago, nursej22 said:

I am so happy that I feel I can safely hug my grandchildren again. 

Me too!  I have four granddaughters, ages 3, 6, 18 and 19.  I have still yet to hug my teenage granddaughters.  But it's coming soon!

-----------------------------------------------------------

I don't know how an arbitrary number of years to wait to get the vaccine helps anyone who comes into contact with the one who chooses not to vaccinate.  It puts so many vulnerable people at risk whether those vulnerable people have received the vaccine or not.

I feel like the attitude of those who do not want to vaccinate is, let everyone else do it for my benefit.  Fits perfectly into the me me me culture of people today.  I don't say that to be rude or condescending. I have been around for a while and I recognize that's the way it is (maybe due to instantaneous technology?).  Everyone, especially those in charge of the well-being of others as a profession, I feel, need to participate for the well-being of all.  Quit adding to the unfounded fear.

NOT getting the vaccine means YOU can acquire severe disease and potentially die or have long-lasting effects with lung, heart and brain damage.  Your choice I guess.

Respectfully, I have one request of those who do not trust the vaccine.  If you need to talk about your reasons why you're not getting it, talk about it here, in this forum.  At least this is a forum that can decipher fact from fiction and discuss it.  On social media such as facebook, Twitter, reddit, and instagram the population isn't quite as adept.  We need people vaccinated, not made fearful by questionable posts from healthcare providers.

There's no way we can change the thinking of any person who has made up their mind whether it's good or bad, or right or wrong, or made by educating oneself on a topic or just having a gut feeling.  We can only change how WE respond to it.  I hope those who choose not to vaccinate take everything to heart and THINK about it.

And to answer the topic of this thread:  NO, the vaccine DOES NOT change the DNA of a human being or any living being.

[LindaGracie, ADN, BSN]

13 hours ago, Jack Peace said:

Whether or not the vaccine mRNA enters your cells is irrelevant. The fact that these types of vaccines have never publicly been tested on humans is a concern that many of us have with the long term unknowns of this. People have a right to be skeptical especially when it concerns one's health. Because, you know, we are in healthcare. 

I try to educate people on the vaccines but do tell people, "if you are afraid of getting COVID-19 and ending up in the hospital on a ventilator due to high risk medical conditions then you should go ahead and get the vaccine but if you don't want that poison put into their bodies and are not concerned about the virus then you shouldn't get the vaccine". However if they are concerned about the virus and the mRNA vaccines then they should opt for the J&J vaccine since it isn't new technology. People who are strongly against vaccines will just be among the percentage of people who will never get the COVID-19 or any vaccines. I got the vaccine since I have several high risk factors and was concerned about getting COVID-19. I'm not really concerned about the long term health effects (I.e. infertility) since I am middle age post-menopausal and it seems I already have a long list of "bodily quirks and bodily complaints", just learn to live with them and deal with flare-ups which usually is better in a day or so. I have found that generally the older people with chronic medical conditions are opting for the vaccine while younger healthy people are not interested in getting the vaccine which makes sense. When I was in my 20's and 30's I was healthy and never got the flu shot. I actually never got the flu shot until I was in my early 50s when I was in nursing school clinicals. Since then I have gotten the flu shot (and my husband now gets the flu shot), shingles vaccine (I had the chicken pox as a child and my mother had shingles), and earlier this year the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. 

[CABGpatch_RN, BSN]

14 minutes ago, LindaGracie said:

I try to educate people on the vaccines but do tell people, "if you are afraid of getting COVID-19 and ending up in the hospital on a ventilator due to high risk medical conditions then you should go ahead and get the vaccine but if you don't want that poison put into their bodies and are not concerned about the virus then you shouldn't get the vaccine". However if they are concerned about the virus and the mRNA vaccines then they should opt for the J&J vaccine since it isn't new technology. People who are strongly against vaccines will just be among the percentage of people who will never get the COVID-19 or any vaccines.

What? 

What education do you provide about this "poison."

Elaborate?

I'm so confused.

---------------------------------------------

I'm wonder if it helps anyone to know that Trump has come out and said GET the vaccine?  

My head is spinning here.  So disappointed in so many of the replies here.

[Jack Peace]

13 hours ago, Hlopez90 said:

It’s not really a personal choice when you’re a healthcare worker in my opinion. It’s not just about you, it’s about the community you work with. I’ve had both doses and absolutely no symptoms except a light fever and some fatigue that same day (normal, it’s an immune response- body is doing its job). Every medicine you take has the possibility to cause reaction, it’s just how probability works.  I guess I can say that I’m grateful in hindsight that I had a virology researcher as my Microbiology teacher, no matter how difficult she made the class, she broke everything down; it’s so relevant today and helped me personally tell shady info from real info. The reason it took so little time is because governments and companies cut the red tape that usually causes so much time in between  vaccine research, development, and release. Literally 1000s of researchers and scientists teamed up around the world and used shared platforms to share information and work together; I don’t think some of you realize how historic this is. Also, 1000s of human participants courageously volunteered as testing subjects. I’m not judging anyone but a simple Google search (obviously looking at legit articles) will produce this information for anyone. 

Physiciansforlife.org that's not conspiracy . Bill Gates' father was the head of Planned Parenthood at one point in his life. That did happen. I don't make this up.

Since your opinion is that all health care workers should be vaccinated with every vaccine due to the having the duty to do so, here is a list from Harvard health about how everyone can improve their immune system, and can you ensure that all healthcare workers are doing all of these steps as if not then they should get out of the healthcare profession:

 

strengthen your immune system

Your first line of defense is to choose a healthy lifestyle. Following general good-health guidelines is the single best step you can take toward naturally keeping your immune system working properly. Every part of your body, including your immune system, functions better when protected from environmental assaults and bolstered by healthy-living strategies such as these:

 

Don't smoke.

Eat a diet high in fruits and vegetables.

Exercise regularly.

Maintain a healthy weight.

If you drink alcohol, drink only in moderation.

Get adequate sleep.

Take steps to avoid infection, such as washing your hands frequently and cooking meats thoroughly.

Try to minimize stress.

Keep current with all recommended vaccines. Vaccines prime your immune system to fight off infections before they take hold in your body.

 

 

[LindaGracie, ADN, BSN]

3 minutes ago, CABGpatch_RN said:

What education do you provide about this "poison."

Elaborate?

I'm so confused.

According to your credentials you "Specializes in Critical Care. Has 20 years experience." Do you still work in ICU? Have friends who work in ICU? Share from what you know and have learned about COVID-19. I read everything I get about COVID and the vaccine from news casts, news notifications I get on my phone, from Medplus, AACN Critical Care emails, ANA free webinars, CDC website, RN friends' posts about their experiences working in the hospital (one worked on a COVID unit), anti-vax posts from other friends, and from talking to friends, coworkers, clients and their families about their experiences and thoughts pertaining to the pandemic. I would recommend you to do as much research on both sides of the debate about the vaccine with a critical thinking and scientific approach but you will have your own personal experiences and beliefs that will be an influence. If you personally believe that vaccines has caused the increase of autism and other medical conditions seen in children and young adults then likely you may lean away from the vaccine. I would also suggest maybe talking to a colleague who has gotten the vaccine or is a strong supporter of the vaccine to find out why they are so strongly for the vaccine and talk to a colleague who is against vaccines to find out why they are against vaccines. Once you gather a bunch of information and understanding from both sides then you will likely feel more competent and knowledgeable  about the vaccine options for COVID. You may not be a supporter of the vaccine and that's okay.