While the world still reels under the repercussions of COVID-19, researchers & scientists are racing to produce a vaccine against the virus’ spread. However, a viral video on Facebook continues to spread false claims surrounding the COVID-19 vaccine. Thus, limiting its impact and sowing the seeds of doubts and mistrust among millions of viewers. Let us verify the claims made in the post.
Claim 1: The RNA vaccine will fundamentally change people’s DNA.
Fact: According to experts, mRNA vaccines do not alter human DNA. Such misinformation is regularly aired on social media to sow doubts/mistrust even before the vaccine is available to the public. Thus, the claim made in the post is FALSE
The video is a 4-minute clip of the 37-minute long interview with Dr. Christiane Northrup, an obstetrician- gynaecologist who has earlier featured as a health expert on “The Oprah Show”. She claimed that the upcoming COVID-19 vaccine will alter the human DNA. The vaccine henceforth, is set to control our movements has gone viral on social media.
However, according to experts, “mRNA vaccines work by introducing a messenger RNA molecule into your body, which causes cells to produce a protein that resembles one of the viral proteins that make up SARS-CoV-2. The immune cells then recognize this viral protein and generate an immune response against it, primarily by generating antibodies that recognize the viral protein”. A similar explanation can be found here and here.
The World Health Organization (WHO) clarified the same on its website that the working principle of vaccination is to stimulate the immune system “with an infectious agent, or components of an infectious agent, modified in such a manner that no harm or disease is caused, but ensuring that when the host is confronted with that infectious agent, the immune system can adequately neutralize it before it causes any ill effect.”
Claim 2: The toxic metals used in the vaccine will create antennas in the human body that will be detected by 5G technology
Fact: Multiple conspiracies and speculations have been doing rounds on social media but in fact, 5G technology has nothing to do with COVID-19. Thus, the claim made in the video is FALSE
While the conspiracy theory on 5G technology is no new news, experts have time and again clarified that 5G is a mobile-network technology and there is no scientific evidence that phone signals will either transmit or reduce our defences to COVID-19. BBC News has also confirmed the same from around the world.
Claim 3: The non-human DNA will turn humans into chimers.
Fact: There is no scientific evidence that the mRNA vaccine will introduce non-human/animal DNA into human bodies. Thus, the claim made in the video is FALSE
Dr. Northrup continues to argue that non-human DNA will be introduced into our bodies which will, in turn, enable humans to pick up certain animal traits. However, by definition, the origin of chimera is in Greek mythology which refers to a single organism composed of cells with more than one distinct DNA. However, there is no evidence that humans will exhibit animal traits
Claim 4: Vaccine to contain nano particles which in turn act as antennas will collect biometric data that will further be traded for cryptocurrency.
Fact: While there is a patent application that mentions technology allowing to monitor & track people’s activity in exchange for cryptocurrency, there is no mention of nano particles or implanted chips in the body. Thus, the claim made in the video is FALSE.
She further accused Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation of using the vaccine as a strategy to collect people’s biometric data for their own profits. Although Microsoft and Bill Gates have filed for patent numbered 060606 for a system which rewards physical activity with cryptocurrency, there is no mention of implanted microchips or nano particles that will collect the biometric data. The patent application has not yet been granted either.
Claim 5: The patented dye Luciferase produced by MIT will help countries to check on who has been vaccinated
Fact: In 2019, Massachusetts Institute of Technology did develop a novel way to record patient’s MMR vaccine history using the luciferase enzyme. However, the same has not been approved for COVID-19 vaccine. Thus, making the claim MISLEADING.
According to Massachusetts Institute of Technology news, they did develop a method to store patient’s data through a dye, invisible to naked eye, that is delivered under the skin through microneedle at the same time as the vaccine. This was developed to devise a method for recording vaccination information in a way that does not require a centralized database or other infrastructure specific to the use of MMR vaccine.
Further research has shown that both Dr. Northrup and the interviewer Polley Tommey, an autism activist are members of the anti-vaccination community. While Polley Tommey is the producer of the 2016 documentary Vaxxed: From Cover-up to Catastrophe, Dr. Northrup is known to have endorsed the ‘Plandemic’ movie with her nearly half a million Facebook followers. The entire interview has been subsequently removed from YouTube for violating its terms of service.
To sum it up, the claims made by Dr. Christiane Northrup regarding COVID-19 vaccines in the video are false. Many of those claims do not have any substantial scientific evidence.
