The vaccines
Rather than celebrating a major combined scientific achievement we see the lack of trust in science combine with growing strength of belief that ‘They’ are out to get us. Whether the religious claim that the vaccine is ‘the mark of the beast’, and closing buildings in lockdown was anti Christian persecution; or the New World Order cabal that Hilary Clinton was accused of being part of when Trump was campaigning 2016; or Bill Gates and the microchip or nanobots. Lack of understanding of science leads to confused ideas about the vaccine changing DNA. No no no it doesn’t.
The vaccine uses messenger RNA technology. RNA is not DNA. DNA is the master copy, RNA is a print out to take out to the bits of the cell that use it to assemble whatever is needed. The mRNA in the vaccine is a delivery system to give us the code for the protein spike of covid 19, not the illness bit of the virus but just a landmark. The idea is that the mRNA of the protein will mean our body briefly makes some of this inactive landmark until the mRNA breaks down. The Immune system will recognise the protein as foreign, and create antibodies to attack them and break them down. The end result is an immune system that is primed with antibodies ready if they face the virus, whilst the vaccine mRNA and the proteins made using it are both metabolised out of your body. Some of the symptoms of an immune response to something foreign – soreness at the area, inflammation etc can occur as the system learns to make the antibodies. Same as with other vaccines – it is symptoms of your defence system acting, not of the illness itself. Yes you can get covid after vaccine – but your immunity has a head start so less dangerous.
Vaccine take up in the UK in 70% double jabbed and 40% boosted, with 96% for adults.
In US it varies state to state from 78% to less than 50% in 4 states, and half the states are less than 60% vaccinated. (at late Jan 2022 and does not account to county wide variations)
Vaccines work for individuals but also as the ‘herd’ – when enough are vaccinated there becomes a shortage of places for the virus to reproduce. When the herd immunity levels are reached they offer protection for those who for medical reasons can’t have the vaccine themselves, and cut the recirculation of the illness.
The mix of trends in parts of the US population do have impacts on the lives of others, not just in rejecting the herd effect, but also where alternative ‘cures’ and ‘protections’ are marketed some of which may be dangerous in themselves. Strange how those who claim the vaccine is untested experimentation, are happy to buy actually untested snake oil solutions. Then there is the aggression towards medical professionals, retail workers enforcing mask mandates, and death threats to Dr Fauci ( America’s Dr Whitty ). And calls for conspiracy believers to dominate elected school boards and other local democracies with their anti science extreme right views.
I am on the left, medical care and welfare safety nets for the poor and the rich can afford to pay more tax and not see any dent in their wealth; others are conservative and see different ways to structure society. We are in a democracy and I support whatever you chose to vote for if you have carefully considered the party policies. No single party will be the perfect fit. However the extreme right wing is a different matter, it trades in hate for minorities, and feed on the insecurities of people who have lost trust in normal society, rising conspiracies make fruitful recruiting grounds for these extremists. And the idea of them gaining dominance in any place is scary to me, especially somewhere as large and influential as America.
So between 6 day creationism, conspiracies inc flat earthers, to anti vaxxers, these have become more than just personal belief or choice but something that has real world dangers in our covid world. Effects that will follow us post covid across world politics, as well as the impact on individuals.
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