Aloha, We are Alika, Pauline, and Stefan. Alika and I were born and raised in Nānākuli and Kaimukī. Pauline and Stefan taught in Oʻahu public schools.
Some people want nothing to do with COVID-19 mRNA vaccines.
We’d like to share why we think mRNA vaccines protect all of us from getting covid from delta and omicron variants.
Stefan Moisyadi, Institute for Biogenesis Research
Alika Maunakea, Biomedical Epigenomics,
Pauline Chinn, Curriculum Studies, College of Education
THE PACIFIC ALLIANCE AGAINST COVID-19, UNIVERSITY OF HAWAIʻI AT MĀNOA
Vaccine Resistance: Nine
reasons people give for not getting vaccinated against COVID-19
Reasons given for not getting vaccinated with mRNA vaccines (Pfizer and Moderna)
1) I don’t trust the government.
2) I think that natural immunity is just as good as vaccine immunity.
3) I think the vaccine is "experimental" and not proven scientifically.
4) I think the vaccine has side effects that may be more dangerous than the disease.
5) I think messenger RNA vaccines like Pfizer and Moderna can cause cancer.
6) I think the vaccines will modify my genome.
7) I think the vaccines will affect my reproductive ability.
8) I think I might get COVID-19 from the vaccine itself.
9) I think the government will insert a tracking chip into me.
Let’s address them one at a time.
No. 1 I don’t trust the government.
Why should people in Hawaiʻi trust the government?
We know this has not always gone well for everyone.
But we trust some agencies like life guards, 911, and other emergency services.
What about public health?
The government puts $ billions into services. Are vaccines worth it?
Education
Social Security
Infrastructure
Public Health
$20 billion produced COVID-19 vaccines, now free to all. Was it worth it?
In Hawaii, 90% of hospitalized covid patients are NOT vaccinated, reducing services to others.
Nationally, at around $20,000 per patient, COVID-19 hospitalizations cost $ billions.
The US has over a million deaths from COVID-19: at 4% of world population it has15% of deaths.
Just in 2020 U.S. life span dropped by 1.5 years, the most since WWII, mostly due to COVID-19.
No. 2 I think that natural immunity is just as good as vaccine immunity
NO, the virus takes over your cells’ nucleus during natural COVID-19.
Why take the 80% chance of being a COVID "long-hauler," with problems breathing, brain fog, headache, fatigue, hair loss even after “recovering”?
Natural immunity will not protect you from variants, but mRNA vaccines do.
Risk of hospitalization and death from covid is 10-11 times higher if you are not fully vaccinated.
No. 3 I think the COVID-19 vaccine is "experimental" and not proven scientifically.
FALSE– All vaccines undergo U.S. Food & Drug Administration extensive safety testing before receiving emergency authorization.
Pfizer’s Phase 3 trial involved 46,331 volunteers in Argentina, Brazil, Turkey, South Africa, Germany and U.S. Pfizer and Moderna are approved for children 6 months and older and boosters of mRNA vaccines are advised.
Pfizer (and Moderna) received FDA approval after tests showed their vaccines were 95% effective against COVID-19 with only minor side effects. Phase 4 trials continue to check on long-term safety.
Hear from Hawaii’s doctors, get the FAQs, and ask questions about vaccines at the COVID-19 portal.
Messenger RNA is a type of RNA used in protein production. The bits of spike protein mRNA in vaccines never enter the nucleus thus cannot alter DNA. It just programs the cellular factory outside the nucleus make pieces of spike protein then breaks down.
No. 4. I think the vaccine has side effects that may be more dangerous than the disease.
NO deaths directly due to mRNA vaccines are reported. Serious side effects are rare.
If you hear about deaths after vaccinations
without evidence that one caused the other,
it’s correlation NOT causation.
Image: Towards Data Science: Correlation is not causation.
Side effects from Moderna and Pfizer vaccines include soreness where injected, tiredness, headache, muscle and joint pain, chills and fever within 2 days of vaccination and ending after 1-2 days.
Side effects are normal signs that your body is building protection.
No. 5 I think messenger RNA vaccines like
Pfizer and Moderna can cause cancer.
NO. Only the whole, wild coronavirus enters the nucleus to create more coronaviruses. In fact around 8% of human DNA comes from viruses such as chicken pox that remain in DNA after infection. When the chicken pox DNA gets re-activated it causes shingles, a painful illness.
Known carcinogens that cause cancer by affecting our DNA include tobacco, processed meats, crispy browned foods, ultraviolet radiation (sunlight), and air pollution.
But NO scientific model or evidence shows mRNA vaccines ever enter our cells’ nucleus to cause cancer.
No. 6 I think the vaccines will modify my genome
NO. It is also why the vaccine CANNOT give you cancer. mRNA in the vaccines NEVER enters the nucleus that contains your genetic material.
The vaccine uses an in-vitro (not made in cells) modified mRNA enabling it to work longer to make pieces of the spike protein to activate our immune system.
Adding a methyl group (CH3) to Pseudouridine, a substitute for uracil found in natural mRNA.
Pseudouridine
1-methylpseudouridine
This creates 1-methylpseudouridine, used in the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.
No. 7 I think the vaccines will affect my reproductive ability
The immune response occurs in muscle cells where the vaccine is injected.
mRNA vaccines never enter the nucleus and cannot affect our genes.
In fact, vaccination PROTECTS your reproductive ability.
No. 8 I think I might get COVID-19 from the vaccine itself
NO, because vaccines only have tiny bits of spike protein.
They train your immune system to recognize and attack the virus before it enters your cells.
“The best way to slow the emergence of new variants is to reduce the spread of infection by taking measures to protect yourself including getting a COVID-19 vaccine “(CDC Dec. 16, 2021)
The red S (Spike) protein attaches to a specific receptor on your cell.
Then the virus can enter and take over DNA in your nucleus to make more virus particles.
SARS-CoV-2 Coronavirus
No. 9 I think the government will insert a tracking chip into me
A doctor in Siberia inserted 3 tracking chips in his hands and wrist as keys to the intercom system in his hospital, his work pass, and his ATM card. The chips are in glass tubes injected with a large syringe with a thick needle (Euronews July 16, 2021).
Hitachi and Columbia University’s smaller chips can be injected with a 12 gauge needle but they won’t go through the 22-25 gauge needle used for covid vaccines.
It’s like a pug trying to fit through a pet door that is too small!
If you do not want to be tracked, turn off your phone!
So, Vaccines Train Your Body to Fight COVID-19
Vaccinated
Unvaccinated
N. Maunakea, 8.24.21
Americans have received 621 million
COVID-19 mRNA vaccines as of Nov. 2, 2022.
For people still hesitating before getting the shot...
The data is in. Misinformation affects vaccination.
79% of Americans have been vaccinated with Pfizer, Moderna, & J&J vaccines.
The vaccines are safe
and save lives.
Finally, infectious omicron variants infect even vaccinated and boosted people. Who are you near? Protect others and yourself with the Swiss Cheese Model of multiple layers of protection. Together we can reduce the spread of COVID-19.
Do you know anyone who became ill with COVID-19? How has it affected your life?
This music teacher wrote a song about online teaching during COVID-19. We hope we don’t need to do it again because of omicron or another contagious disease.
Mahalo for sharing some time with us.
Questions and comments? You can reach us at:
Stefan Moisyadi, moisyadi@hawaii.edu
Alika Maunakea, amaunake@hawaii.edu
Pauline Chinn, chinn@hawaii.edu