25
A P R I L 2021 ME S S E NG E R
Can an mRNA vaccine affect my DNA? No. mRNA vaccines do not affect, interact with or alter your DNA in any way. The mRNA in the vaccine is broken down quickly by normal cellular processes after the harmless genetic instructions have been used to make the spike protein. In a cell, DNA is in the nucleolus, and the mRNA works outside of the nucleolus in the cytoplasm. It is not possible for the mRNA to enter the nucleolus, as this process would require
many enzymes that the cell or vaccine does not have . Can I get COVID-19 from an mRNA vaccine?
No. The mRNA vaccine does not contain any virus in it. It has only genetic instructions on how the cell can make one single coronavirus protein (the spike protein). It takes several different coronavirus proteins and other genetic materials to make a coronavirus. Therefore, this vaccine cannot make the virus and then lead to disease. The mRNA does not become a permanent part of your body, as it is naturally broken down after use. Is it recommended to receive the vaccine while pregnant? The safety and efficacy of Pfizer BioNTech and the Moderna COVID-19 vaccines in pregnant women has not yet been established. Pregnant individuals were not included in large enough numbers in the initial trials of the COVID-19 vaccines to provide solid information. COVID-19 vaccines may be offered to individuals in the eligible group who are pregnant if a risk assessment with their doctors determines that the benefits outweigh the potential risks for the woman and fetus. The individual may also be immunized without consulting their doctor following their acknowledgment of the absence of evidence on the use of COVID-19 vaccine in this population. Is it recommended to receive the vaccine while breastfeeding? I t is unknown whether Pfizer BioNTech and the Moderna COVID-19 vaccines can be present in human milk. A risk to the newborns/infants cannot be determined because there is an absence of evidence on the use of COVID-19 vaccines in breast feeding individuals. These groups were not included in large enough numbers in the initial trials to provide solid information. COVID-19 vaccines may be offered to individuals in the eligible group who are breastfeeding if a risk assessment with their doctors determines that the benefits outweigh the potential risks for the mother and infant. The individual may also be immunized without consulting their doctor following their acknowledgment of the absence of evidence on the use of COVID-19 vaccine in this population. Is it recommended to receive the vaccine if I am immunocompromised or have an autoimmune disorder? At this time, there is an absence of evidence on the use of COVID-19 vaccine in immunocompromised individuals and those with auto-immune disorders. These groups were not included in large enough numbers in the initial trials to provide solid information. COVID-19 vaccines may be offered to individuals in the eligible group who are immunosuppressed due to disease or treatment and those with an auto-immune disorder if a risk assessment with their doctors determines that the benefits outweigh the potential risks. Potential risks include: • Immunocompromised persons may have a diminished immune response to the vaccine • There is a theoretical concern that mRNA vaccine may elicit an inflammatory response and possibly exacerbate existing autoimmune diseases. However, current applications of mRNA technology for COVID-19 vaccines have been optimized to reduce this risk. However, with the exception Solid Organ Transplant (SOT) and Haematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant (HSCT) clients, the individual may also be immunized without consulting their doctors following their
O u r L a n d . O u r C u l t u r e . O u r F u t u r e .
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online