Genetically modified crops are controversial among the public and farmers. Bill Gates used the example of medical testing as an analogy to make the case for the importance of a safety system for GM crops. Genetically modified organisms are used in producing vaccines, which were tested in clinical trials to show their safety and efficacy.
Pathogenic viruses and bacteria cause infectious diseases and, for both of these microbes to cause a disease, they first have to be caught, they are not generated spontaneously inside one’s body. In the case of viruses, these microbes infect cells and replicate inside them, using the cell’s machinery to produce more copies of the pathogenic virus that can leave the infected cells and infect new cells and also new individuals.
Emerging variants of the virus that causes COVID-19, some of which are more transmissible, have led to speculation about the efficacy of current COVID-19 vaccines. Emerging variants are subject to continuous monitoring to evaluate their potential impact on COVID-19 transmission and disease outcomes. The evidence so far indicates that COVID-19 vaccines still confer partial protection against these variants. Furthermore, the COVID-19 vaccines in use can be rapidly modified, and manufacturers are already anticipating new vaccine formulations to improve their efficacy against the new variants.
Jamaica recorded more than 20,000 COVID-19 cases and more than 400 COVID-19 deaths as of March 2021. Jamaica is currently experiencing a fourth wave of COVID-19 cases and a steady increase in the number of COVID-19 deaths. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended that people avoid traveling to the island.
The COVID-19 vaccines authorized for use in the U.S. were tested in thousands of people during clinical trials and were shown to be safe. The Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna mRNA vaccines are designed to prompt our cells to produce the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and cannot change your DNA. There are rare cases of anaphylactic reactions to the vaccines, which would be expected in any widely distributed vaccine. There is no evidence that the COVID-19 vaccines have contributed to any deaths.
A recent CDC study found that mask mandates were associated with a significant decrease in the growth rate of both COVID-19 cases and deaths during the 100 days after the policies were implemented. The study also found that policies allowing on-premises restaurant dining were associated with an increase in the growth rate of COVID-19 cases and deaths. Claiming that the CDC study shows mask usage had a negligible impact on the spread of COVID-19 is inaccurate.
Clinical trials showed that the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine has an efficacy of about 95%. The vaccine requires two doses to achieve full efficacy. It can also take several weeks for immunity to develop, during which people still remain vulnerable to COVID-19. Safety data from trials and monitoring of ongoing vaccination campaigns don’t show that vaccinated people are more likely to die from COVID-19. In fact, data from Israel indicates that the vaccine is effective at reducing the number of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations.
Any event that occurs after someone received a COVID-19 vaccine isn’t necessarily a consequence of vaccination but may simply happen by coincidence. The risk of severe illness from COVID-19 increases with age, posing a specific risk for this population. In contrast, available evidence doesn’t suggest that frail, elderly individuals are more susceptible to vaccine side effects than others. Ongoing safety monitoring of COVID-19 vaccination shows that COVID-19 vaccines authorized for emergency use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration are safe and effective for elderly populations.
Several countries, including the U.S., started rolling out COVID-19 vaccines in December 2020. So far, the U.S. has administered more COVID-19 vaccine doses than any other country in the world. However, the majority of the U.S. population still needs to be vaccinated to halt the spread of the virus and reduce the number of COVID-19 cases and deaths. When measured as a proportion of population, 15% of the U.S. population has received at least one vaccine dose, as compared to 30% of the population in the U.K. and 55% of the population in Israel.
The COVID-19 vaccines authorized for emergency use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration demonstrated a high level of safety and efficacy in protecting people from disease. Their ability to reduce transmission is unclear, but studies are underway. Due to the concern that vaccinated people may still transmit the virus to unvaccinated people, the former still need to practice preventative measures like mask-wearing and physical distancing. Unvaccinated people remain the majority of the population in most countries, since not everyone can be vaccinated at the same time due to issues like vaccine supply scarcity and labor shortages.
