Queensland Health has released a series of guidelines for interacting with anti-vax friends and family who spout conspiracy theories at the dinner table.
As the Covid-19 vaccine and rollout continue to dominate global headlines, the Sunshine State’s health department is offering rebuttals to help debunk any myths that your friends and family may bring up.
Among the most common arguments is that the vaccine can in fact cause Covid, change a person’s DNA and is regularly resulting in death overseas.
Here, Daily Mail Australia takes a look at the issues conspiracy theorists have raised with the vaccine, and how officials are encouraging the public to respond when they are presented as fact at family functions or while out with friends.
Health authorities say the vaccine is the world’s greatest chance at lifting restrictions and returning to normal (pictured: Customers dining at the Opera Bar after Sydney experienced a Covid shutdown)
‘People are dropping dead overseas after taking the vaccine’
Globally, more than 806 million doses of vaccine have been issued, and that number is climbing by the millions daily, according to the New York Times daily tracker.
According to The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, 182 million doses have been issued in the United States alone in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.
So far, not a single death has been attributed directly to the administration of the vaccine.
While people have died after taking the vaccine, Queensland Health says these deaths are ‘likely to be coincidental… even in vulnerable, frail and elderly people’.
‘The benefits of the vaccine far outweigh the side effects,’ a spokesman said.
Globally, more than 806 million doses have been issued, and that number is climbing by the millions daily, according to the New York Times daily tracker
‘The vaccine can give you coronavirus’
According to Queensland Health, this simply isn’t possible.
The vaccine does not contain any live virus, as some other vaccines for different illnesses does.
As such, a person cannot contract the virus directly from the vaccine.
But, because immunity does not occur immediately – particularly given the two most common vaccines require at least two shots – a person can still catch Covid soon after they have been immunised.
This is simply because their body has not been given enough of a chance to build antibodies to fight the virus.
The vaccine does not contain any live virus, as some other vaccines for different illnesses does
‘The vaccine changes your DNA’
It doesn’t.
Queensland Health explained the Pfizer vaccine uses Messenger RNA (mRNA), which is ‘very different from DNA’.
The mRNA gives instructions to cells within the body to replicate a protein that is found within the virus that causes Covid.
In turn, the body recognises this does not belong and begins to naturally develop antibodies which train the body to respond if it were to catch the real virus.
Eventually, the cells of the mRNA break down and the body naturally expels them once it recognises how to successfully fight it off and train the immune system.
Therefore, mRNA and the Covid vaccine is not supposed to interact with or mutate a person’s DNA in any way.
Queensland Health has released a series of guidelines for interacting with anti-vax friends and family who spout conspiracy theories at the dinner table
‘The vaccine can cause really severe side effects’
Most commonly a person will experience mild symptoms after having the jab.
Queensland Health says these should not alarm people as it means a person’s immune system is being stimulated, ‘responding, learning and adapting’.
In very rare cases, the vaccine has been proven to cause anaphylaxis – or a severe allergic reaction. This usually occurs in people with a history of severe allergies.
‘You need to remember that we are vaccinating very large numbers of people over a short period of time. A certain number of unexpected and unusual reactions are going to happen in the period following vaccination by chance,’ the spokesman said.
So far, not a single death has been attributed directly to the administration of the vaccine. While people have died after taking the vaccine, Queensland Health says these deaths are ‘likely to be coincidental… even in vulnerable, frail and elderly people’
‘The vaccine can affect fertility if people are trying for a baby’
There is no known link between infertility and the vaccine.
A person who is pregnant or trying for a baby is urged to seek independent professional health advice before taking any vaccine or medication.
According to The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, the Covid vaccines do not appear to cause any problems with pregnancy, fertility or the development of placenta.
‘Like all vaccines, scientists are studying COVID-19 vaccines carefully for side effects now and will continue to study them for many years,’ a spokesman said.
There is no known link between infertility and the vaccine. A person who is pregnant or trying for a baby is urged to seek professional health advice individually before taking any vaccine or medication
‘People who are breastfeeding can’t get vaccinated’
Again, women who are breastfeeding should seek individual medical advice, but this should not prevent a person receiving the vaccine.
COVID-19 vaccines have not yet been studied in detail in women who are breastfeeding, but this does not mean it is unsafe to do so.
Breastfeeding women can safely receive almost all other vaccines available.
COVID-19 vaccines have not yet been studied in detail in women who are breastfeeding, but this does not mean it is unsafe to do so
‘There is no way to know what is even in the vaccine. I’m not putting that in my body’
A list of every ingredient used in the Covid vaccines is easily accessible for anybody searching for it.
The ingredients include water, sugar, salt and an active ingredient. The active ingredient in Pfizer is mRNA, which encourages the body to replicate the protein in Covid in order to fight it off.
The AstraZeneca vaccine, the second commonly used vaccine in Australia, has many of the same ingredients except uses a modified Adenoviruses instead of mRNA as the active ingredient.
This works in a similar way as the mRNA, but has been modified so as not to cause any infections as it builds a tolerance in the body.
To learn more about the ingredients in detail, click here.
As the Covid-19 vaccine and rollout continue to dominate global headlines, the Sunshine State’s health department is offering rebuttals to help debunk any myths that your friends and family may bring up
‘The vaccine was developed way too quickly for it to be safe’
Each of the widely used and globally approved Covid vaccines have been through the same rigorous testing as vaccines in the past.
But Queensland Health acknowledges this mightn’t be apparent to the general public.
‘No testing phase was skipped but for these important vaccines researchers and international governments worked together to streamline some of the processes that often slow down the approvals process, making it available to the public faster to save lives earlier,’ the spokesman said.
Among the most common arguments is that the vaccine can in fact cause Covid, change a person’s DNA and is regularly resulting in death overseas
‘We don’t need the vaccine if we’re practicing good hygiene, social distancing and wearing masks’
Queensland Health reiterated the global response that the vaccine is ‘our best asset in fighting this virus’.
‘They have been proven to reduce the serious effects of Covid-19 in people who become infected with the virus’.
The spokesman agreed that Australia in particular is doing well in combatting the virus via other methods, but said this can’t be maintained forever.
‘We should keep practicing them until told otherwise… But do we want to live this way forever? Is it good for our mental health? Work? Holidays? Visiting family and friends?
‘The COVID-19 vaccine is still the best way to protect people long-term against severe COVID-19 symptoms.’
The ingredients include water, sugar, salt and an active ingredient. The active ingredient in Pfizer is mRNA, which encourages the body to replicate the protein in Covid in order to fight it off. The AstraZeneca vaccine (pictured), the second commonly used vaccine in Australia, has many of the same ingredients except uses a modified Adenoviruses instead of mRNA as the active ingredient
Queensland Health reiterated the global response that the vaccine is ‘our best asset in fighting this virus’ and returning to a pre-Covid normal
