A QAnon and anti-vaccine podcaster has died from complications due to COVID-19 after contracting the virus at a conspiracy theory conference that turned into a superspreader event, and where fellow attendees baselessly blamed their illness on an anthrax attack.

The Herman Cain Award goes to…

  • @craftingwithbits
    1•2 years ago

    On an unrelated side note: I think the mRNA technology is freaking cool and I hope we can put it to more good use in the future.

    A thing that worries me about it is that it is using your cell to express the spike protein. Effectively, “you” are making something to be attacked by your immune system as “other”.

    Alot of the adverse effects show that the body is attacking itself, as is typical with autoimmune issues, like arthritis.

    The immune system being a complex system, it just seems a reckless to push forward with this in all age groups with only just over a year of safety data with humans.

    I hope everything will be just fine, but I’m not reassure by the censorship, mandates and liability waiver for big pharma

    • mekhos
      3•2 years ago

      “Effectively you are making something to be attacked by your immune system as other”

      Yes, because its exactly how viruses do it, they are nasty AF which is why its a great idea to make your immune system ready to fight the real deal, if/when it comes for you.

      • @craftingwithbits
        0•2 years ago

        My point is this is the first time we are using mRNA to program our cells to produce spike. Previous vaccines took the entire virus either attenuated or dead to stimulate the immune response.

        This is the first time we are using an mRNA snippet to program our cells to make a specific protein.

        So no, factually you are incorrect. This is not “exactly” how viruses work.

        • @keegomatic
          2•2 years ago

          Viruses insert RNA (or DNA, depending on the virus) into the cells they infect, and use your cells’ own machinery to replicate themselves, including portions of their capsids like spike proteins.

          That’s… also what the mRNA vaccines do. The poster above is right. Whether it’s the vaccine or the virus, they’re both hijacking your cells’ to produce “body parts” of the virus.

          • @craftingwithbits
            1•2 years ago

            This is true. I was incorrect. I guess my point is that it’s the first time humans are doing it to humans.

            [edit] Further clarification: First time we are selecting/designing mRNA vs an occurance in nature.

    • HMH
      1•2 years ago

      I am aware of this concern and share it. I also agree that the risk benefit ration of being vaccinated is probably off for healthy younger people. Nonetheless I think this is a cool technology.

      • @craftingwithbits
        1•2 years ago

        Risk management aside, it’s an amazing technology. We are biologically programming human cells.