{"id":4625,"date":"2021-05-25T14:03:58","date_gmt":"2021-05-25T14:03:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/1307007.us31.myftpupload.com\/?p=4625"},"modified":"2025-03-21T10:27:40","modified_gmt":"2025-03-21T10:27:40","slug":"fact-check-covid-19-mrna-vaccines-are-not-gene-therapy-and-recipients-are-not-guinea-pigs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/enspirefx.com\/royale\/fact-check-covid-19-mrna-vaccines-are-not-gene-therapy-and-recipients-are-not-guinea-pigs\/","title":{"rendered":"FACT-CHECK: COVID-19 mRNA vaccines are NOT \u201cgene therapy\u201d and recipients are NOT \u201cguinea pigs\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

Claim:<\/strong>\u00a05 COVID-19 vaccine conspiracies<\/p>\n

Source:\u00a0<\/strong>WhatsApp Video<\/p>\n

Verdict: 1 MISLEADING, 4 FALSE<\/strong><\/p>\n

Researched by Gifty\u00a0Tracy\u00a0Aminu<\/strong><\/p>\n

A video of a man spreading COVID-19 vaccine conspiracy theories and misinformation about the coronavirus pandemic has gone viral among some social media users in Ghana.<\/p>\n

The man who introduced himself as Dr Stephen Hotze, founder and CEO of the Hotze Health and Wellness Center in Houston, Texas, speaking in the 17 minutes and 22 seconds long video cautioned the public against taking COVID-19 vaccines because they are \u201cdangerous experimental gene therapy\u201d.<\/p>\n

The video has been tagged by WhatsApp as \u201cForwarded many times\u201d and in this fact-check report, we will verify 5 claims made in the clip.\"\"<\/p>\n

Claim 1<\/strong><\/p>\n

COVID-19 vaccine is a \u201cdangerous experimental gene therapy\u201d.<\/p>\n

Fact-check<\/strong><\/p>\n

Messenger RNA vaccines- also called mRNA vaccines- are a new type of vaccine to protect against infectious diseases.<\/p>\n

COVID-19 mRNA vaccines give instructions for our cells to make\u00a0a harmless piece\u00a0of what is called the \u201cspike protein.\u201d The spike protein is found on the surface of the virus that causes COVID-19.<\/p>\n

According to the\u00a0United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)<\/a>, the vaccines however cannot give someone COVID-19 and do not affect or interact with our DNA (genetic material) in any way.<\/p>\n

Although\u00a0mRNA vaccines<\/a>\u00a0are a new technology, it isn\u2019t the same as DNA, and it can\u2019t combine with our DNA to change our genetic code. Also, mRNA vaccines have been held to the same\u00a0rigorous safety and effectiveness standards<\/a>\u00a0as all other types of vaccines.<\/p>\n

Verdict<\/strong><\/p>\n

Claim 1 is\u00a0FALSE<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Claim 2<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cThis so-called COVID-19 vaccine does not provide any individual who receives the\u00a0vaccine with immunity to COVID-19. Nor does it prevent the spread of the disease. It does not meet the CDC\u2019s own definition of a vaccine\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Fact-check<\/strong><\/p>\n

Scientists and Public Health experts at Meedan<\/a>\u00a0have explained that there are a few main reasons why someone may test positive for COVID-19 after taking a COVID-19 vaccine.<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. The Moderna vaccine and the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine\u2014are reported to have about 95% efficacy. This means that about 5% of vaccinated people are still likely to contract COVID-19. As a result, some individuals are testing positive for COVID-19 despite having gotten a vaccine. The chance of hospitalization or death in a vaccinated COVID-19 patient is significantly lower than an unvaccinated COVID-19 patient.<\/li>\n
  2. After someone gets the shot, it takes time to build up immunity to COVID-19. The full benefits of the vaccines aren\u2019t reached until two weeks after the second dose of the Moderna vaccine and 7 days after the second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. In the time leading up to maximum immunity, the chances of contracting COVID-19 are not zero.<\/li>\n
  3. COVID-19 vaccine efficacy rates published by pharmaceutical companies do not yet tell us the exact vaccine effectiveness rates that can be expected in actual populations. As a result, it is possible that the number of individuals (5%) who are estimated to still contract COVID-19 despite being vaccinated could actually be different in the population. No vaccine is perfect, and there are a range of factors that contribute to chances of the vaccine not working, such as weakened immunity and viral load exposure.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    According to the\u00a0US CDC<\/a>, studies show that COVID-19 vaccines are effective at keeping you from getting COVID-19. Getting a COVID-19 vaccine will also help keep you from getting seriously ill even if you do get COVID-19.<\/p>\n

    COVID-19 vaccines teach our immune systems how to recognize and fight the virus that causes COVID-19. It typically takes 2 weeks after vaccination for the body to build protection (immunity) against the virus that causes COVID-19.<\/p>\n

    Here are\u00a0answers to some frequently asked questions about COVID-19 vaccination<\/a>\u00a0from the US CDC.<\/p>\n

    Verdict<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Claim 2 is rated\u00a0FALSE.<\/strong><\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    Claim 3<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \u201cThese so-called vaccines were approved without any published animal studies and any long-term human studies. This means that individuals who get these so-called experimental gene therapy vaccine treatments are the guinea pigs.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Fact-check<\/strong><\/p>\n

    According to the\u00a0US CDC<\/a>, the general stages of the development cycle of a vaccine are:<\/p>\n