The whole reason mRNA vaccines are a new technology is that it took decades of research to figure out hoe to keep the mRNA around long enough for it to enter your cells and produce proteins. mRNA is a temporary molecule in your body and the mRNA in your cells has a half-life of minutes to hours. The mRNA vaccines use modified nucleotides to try to extend the life time of the molecule by trying to hide it from RNA degradation proteins in your blood. Even modified nucleotide mRNA transcripts only last a few days in the blood at best.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26264835/
As for the permanent changes to the DNA, it is almost impossible. You are right there are many reverse transcriptases in our cells, but these are specific to specific transcripts. Keep in mind each cell in your body is creating mRNA trillions of times each day. With the exception of retrotransposon elements, none of these transcripts get inserted into the genome. If there was any chance for chance reverse transcriptions and integrations into the genome, then we would all be screwed! Interestingly there was a preprint published on demonstrating covid could insert itself into the genome
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.12.12.422516v1.full.pdf
But this got a lot of criticism. Notice how they couldnt use the endogenous reverse transcriptases? Reverse transcription and dna insertion are highly organized and regulated processes that a few rna transcripts entering your cells couldnt achieve.
And remember that for every doctor posting their grave concerns there are thousands that trust the clinical trial data that so far shows it is safe
:(
It's a reference to one of my favorite songs. Obvious Bicycle by Vampire Weekend
Sloppy reporting, sloppy georgian officials, sloppy call
Also the virus particles are found in aerosols, which are much larger and easier to trap.
Mask debate should be about personal freedoms and role of government
Hey I was excited about HCQ as a COVID treatment too! Hell there was a few weeks last March/April that I would have supported its mass production and distribution. I also think its ridiculous the FDA hasn't focused more on small molecule discovery/reuse for coronavirus. I think its stupid we haven't expanded and normalized the standard use of antibody treatments, like the ones received by Trump and Christie, too. But ultimately, there hasn't been widespread evidence HCQ actually works well, in fact it increases mortality in covid patients.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-77748-x
You got to use the tools you've been given and until a magic drug emerges, we are left with the only tool we have :(
Im a completely healthy twenty something that is 100% certain I will survive COVID, but I am willing to "fight something" that poses no risk to me because I am concerned about my septuagenarian parents and my elderly neighbor who all seem plenty healthy, but I know don't have a 99.9% of surviving it. Hell it almost killed Trump and he wasn't on deaths door.
Is the pandemic overblown? Sure. Has our public policy been proportional to the risk? Absolutely not. But can it kill people who would otherwise have decades of life ahead of them. Definitely.
You don't have to get the vaccine—I understand anyone's concerns over a new and unproven medical technology and I hope Biden doesnt make it mandatory, but I know how they work and think it is important people know what's the actual risk and what's a baseless concern.
Viral escape is a concern, especially given the prospect that covid will likely remain a problem in the third world where herd immunity may take years to achieve naturally. I would argue with Dr. Bossche in 2 main ways:
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If you get covid "naturally" your immunity is the same as someone who got the vaccine. Both you and the vaccinated have antibodies that likely target the spike protein. As the virus evolves, both of your immunity's become less effective. Thats why you get the flu every year—viruses evolve. Therefore, the best way to prevent the rise of new more dangerous mutants is to prevent the spread and replication of the existing virus and hope your vaccines remains effective long enough for the virus to disappear before it totally escapes existing immunity.
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It is unlikely that viruses that escape the vaccine are necessarily more transmissible or dangerous. Rather as the pandemic continues, strains that are more contagious and deadly are simply more likely to spread and therefore become more prevalent. In fact, through vaccination you may be essentially cutting off possibly evolutionary paths of the virus that could lead it to a more transmissible variant. You are limiting its evolutionary landscape. The point of vaccination now is to try to give people immunity while the current strains remain susceptible to immunity brought on by the original virus or vaccine. Which brings me back to the finals statement in my first point :)
The half-life of mRNA used in the Pfizer/moderna vaccines (which is modified to last longer through pseudouridylation) is on the order of hours to days. The half life of the spike proteins produced by the vaccine is probably days. However, even if someone gave blood hours after receiving the vaccine if is unlikely any of the biological components of vaccine would find their way to the donated blood as they are largely retained at the site of injection.
Scientist here. Good summary of what i took away as the major points of the video. I would actually imagine many vaccine supporters would find common ground with Dr. Bossche on point 3. There is a real chance that as the virus remains prevalent in third world nations even after the US achieves herd immunity, COVID could very well mutate to escape vaccine immunity. This process is studied closely and is called antigenic drift. Whether those strains are more DEADLY—who knows but definitely they are a concern.
I do need to strongly disagree with point 4. mRNA has no ability to change or modify your DNA. In fact, mRNA from the vaccine cant even enter the cell's nucleus where your DNA is stored. It will only be translated into the modified covid spike proteins and then degrade over the course of hours/days. It will also have no r won't replace your natural immunity, which is a bit of a dubious concept anyways. The spike proteins will lead to amplification of B cells expressing antibodies that bind to it. Some of those B cells will turn into memory B cells which will wait in your lymph nodes for the next viral challenge, when they will quickly amplify again and fight the virus. Your body has thousands of coexisting amplified B memory cells for every virus/cold/flu you have ever faced. It doesn't replace your natural immunity —it IS your natural immunity.
There are a lot of reasonable questions and concerns about the vaccines. It IS a new technology and no one knows how effective it will ultimately be. But most all virologists (i guess not Dr. Bossche haha) agree it is safe and the best method we have to fight COVID
Im curious your reasoning why not. PCR is a way to amplify specific nucleic acid sequences and is used as one of the primary means to detect bacteria and viruses (as you can detect sequences specific to those pathogens) in all types of samples including and especially clinical samples. It's also how, for example, municipalities test how much dangerous bacteria is in your water. COVID tests are a little more complicated because its an RNA virus so you first need to turn it into DNA (the Reverse Transcription step), but same concept.
Oh great point. Did not think about how the density of the melting water would compare to the salt water.
I would be super curious to learn what the mechanism of the acid protection is.
I'll have to take a closer look. To be honest the primary source is also terribly written and formatted too haha. Someone should tell these guys if they ever want to be believed they need to look the part!
And I knew the definition of shill, I just meant I didnt know if being pro-vaccine automatically made me one. To be honest Ive been a long time lurker, but I am also a scientist and made my account specifically to engage in the scientific discussions on here. Some times I worry that people's engagement and distrust of government leads spirals into distrust of other aspects of society that may or may not warrant it. Personally, I don't have as much of a distrust of the scientific community and therefore the vaccine. Ive actually used the same technology used to make mRNA vaccines in lab experiments before (though my work was totally unrelated to the actual development of vaccines). I think there is a space for people who want to eliminate the corruption in our government but sees the development of a vaccine for a global pandemic as an achievement of regular people like us that benefits people like us.
I don't know what the exact definition of a shill is, but I am a supporter of getting vaccinated. More broadly I am confused why Trump would allow his FDA to approve and put in place the infrastructure to distribute a dangerous vaccine. Im also a little skeptical. The second article says "During the five-week vaccination process “0.05 percent, meaning 50 among 100,000, died.” Admittedly I still need to look through the primary re-analysis it is linking, but nevertheless... That would mean you would have expected around 50,000 deaths from vaccines assuming 100 mil does?
Not quite true! For example there is a long history of animal testing for mRNA vaccines: https://apnews.com/article/fact-checking-afs:Content:9792931264. Ive actually injected lab mice with mRNA specifically for this purpose before and mRNA vaccine research goes back decades. And there are scientists and doctors receommending people to not take it, but there are many more that are! Many members of my extended family and social group have been vaccinated with no significant side effects and I plan on getting the shot as soon as my cohort is up!
Great post. How will we ever fix the system if we don't have a seat at the table. Realistically Dominion cant stop our attempts at local elections. Plus the corrupt systems aren't in every state. Baby steps
Would be such a shame if he died of Covid when he was probably weeks away from getting vaccinated.
This man is hilarious, eccentric, and probably has done more to advance science (or at least biology and medicine) than almost anyone living today. We are all indebted to him in some way. Without his contributions, the rapid RT-qPCR tests that are primarily used to test for covid wouldnt be possible. Without pcr no way we could so rapidly develop vaccines. No way the antibody therapy Trump received would have been developed either. Curious when this video was taken, do you have the full interview? Im sure it was in reference to fauci's first brush with controversy during the AIDs epidemic. Funny story: Mullis came up with the concept of PCR while tripping.
100 million doses administered so far, it is likely there will be people that die after getting the vaccine by chance unrelated to the vaccine. Very unfortunate death, but let's think critically. I know many people who have been vaccinated and have only had minor side effects!
Just out of curiosity, why do you think pH has a larger impact than overall temperature? I would assume the actual increase in solute concentration from the acidification by way of an increase in carbonate concentrations is negligible compared to the salinity of the oceans.
Hey, scientist here (not a climate scientist unfortunately, got bit by the biology bug but have taken my fair share of earth science coursework). To start off I will disclaim that I am now a believer in human caused climate change, though I haven't always been. I watched about half of the video (sorry its a really long video) and it brings up a lot of fair criticisms of the climate change crowd. You are right there are a lot of moneyed interests and most people who cry global warming haven't done their research. Though admittedly there are also a lot of moneyed interests behind the continued use of fossil fuels. Regardless, some points in the video don't make sense. For example, humans have caused a significant increase in CO2 accumulation in the atmosphere along with other gases like NO2 and CH4 (https://www.climate.gov/news-features/understanding-climate/climate-change-atmospheric-carbon-dioxide). And anyone that has any expertise in chemistry or physics can tell you that these molecules trap heat! Specifically, unlike O2 and H20, they can absorb infrared radiation and reemit it which leads some of it heading back to the earth. You're right that we are in uncharted territory and we don't know exactly its impact on the rate of temperature increase, but if recent years are any indication we are in for some really alarming trends (https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/2020-tied-for-warmest-year-on-record-nasa-analysis-shows). One final point I would like to make is that no one worth your time is fantasizing about a pre-industrial world. But thats not the only alternative! Even use of renewables and technologies such as carbon capture can let us maintain our current living standards, without posing a continued existential threat to our planet. Like I said, I get your skepticism—for a long time I was a skeptic myself—but ignoring this problem is risky. Happy to engage in a conversation about this, I love learning more about climate and what holes people see in the climate change theory.
Looks like Bill gates to me. Doesn't sound super prepared to answer the question though. Regardless, I think concern over the side effects mentioned by the interviewer is a bit over blown. Soreness and mild flu like symptoms are expected—even from the annual flu vaccine. From what I have read it sounds like the spike protein produced by the vaccines are somewhat more immunogenic than most vaccine targets. More immunogenic = more immune response and more chance of side effects. Parents got vaccinated and neither had anything more than a sore arm!
Drugs or no drugs, he would still be alive if our police departments were well funded and cops like derek chauvin were properly trained to show restraint.
What do you mean by primer sequence? The short oligonucleotide used to amplify the sequence for RT-qPCR tests? That's meaningless as far as the vaccine is concerned. These sequences are usually only ~20 nucleotides long and just by chance any ~20 nucleotide sequence is bound to show up somewhere in the genome. As for pathological priming, why would the vaccine cause autoimmunity, but the natural viral infection which causes the exact same antibody response have different outcomes?