Medicinal herbs can be effective in treating some diseases or alleviating their symptoms. However, no clinical data so far has shown that mullein leaves or marshmallow roots are effective at treating or mitigating COVID-19.
Available data show COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective at preventing severe forms of the disease and death. Large clinical trials and post-marketing authorizations have shown that the vaccines’ benefits largely outweigh their possible risks.
Kirsch’s claim that COVID-19 vaccines increase a person’s risk of death is based on an unreliable data analysis. The data used is of questionable provenance and carries significant limitations, such as uncertainty over how the dataset analyzed was selected and incomplete information on vaccination status. Published studies using more reliable sources of data that don’t carry the same limitations didn’t find that COVID-19 vaccination increases mortality rate.
Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is a common medical condition making it difficult for people to stand up. Data showed that both COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccination could increase the risk of POTS. However, data also showed that the risk is five times higher following the disease than following the vaccination, illustrating the benefits of vaccination.
The spread of the COVID-19 pandemic was accompanied by an unprecedented spread of misinformation, occasionally exacerbated by mixed messages from public health authorities. However, changing recommendations reflect the fact that it takes time to conduct research, particularly amid a global health crisis with a novel pathogen, and authorities changed course as our scientific understanding of COVID-19 evolved over time.
Multiple studies have shown that the benefits of COVID-19 vaccines outweigh their risks. One of the key reasons for the greater number of adverse event reports for COVID-19 vaccines compared to other vaccines is the mandatory requirement to report all serious adverse events regardless of causality. Other vaccines don’t carry this requirement.
Randomized controlled trials are considered the gold standard when assessing the effectiveness of an intervention. However, this type of study can vary greatly in quality, particularly in complex interventions such as face masks, affecting the reliability of the results. In this context, many scientists consider that randomized controlled trials should be seen as a part of a more broader evidence including other study designs. When taking those studies into account, evidence suggests that widespread mask usage can reduce community transmission of SARS-CoV-2, especially when combined with other interventions like frequent handwashing and physical distancing.
Moderna began to work on mRNA vaccines in 2010 and was already collaborating with the U.S. National Institutes of Health before the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2019, the company was able to produce around 100,000 doses of mRNA vaccines of any kind. The COVID-19 outbreak in late 2019 and the decision to produce a vaccine against COVID-19 led the company to scale up its manufacturing capacity to address the possibility of an oncoming pandemic.
PCR is a commonly used method to replicate genetic sequences. This is called “molecular cloning”. It is distinct from reproductive cloning, which is the cloning of entire organisms. PCR-based COVID-19 tests are designed to specifically replicate SARS-CoV-2 genetic material that may be contained in people’s collected fluids but don’t contain other genetic material.
While COVID-19 vaccines are associated with a higher risk of myocarditis, this risk is higher in people who get COVID-19. Moreover, COVID-19 is associated with a host of health problems, of which heart problems are just one. By reducing the risk of infection and severe disease in people, COVID-19 vaccines offer many benefits that go beyond just preventing COVID-associated heart problems. As such, the vaccines’ benefit outweighs their risk.
