True: In the U.S., the only COVID-19 vaccines available are genetic vaccines.

By: Alice Franklin
January 10 2022

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As of July 2021, there are three COVID-19 vaccines authorized for use in the U.S. These are the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, the vaccine from Pfizer/BioNTech, and the vaccine from Moderna. In an interview with the Epoch Times, a right-wing outlet known for peddling conspiracy theories, Dr. Robert Malone claimed that there are only three vaccines available in the U.S. and that these vaccines are genetic. This claim is true. Both the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine and the vaccine from Moderna can be called genetic, as they use mRNA technology. Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine uses different technology, but it can still be called a genetic vaccine as, according to the New York Times, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine "is based on the virus’s genetic instructions for building the spike protein. But unlike the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines, which store the instructions in single-stranded RNA, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine uses double-stranded DNA." As Wired reported last November, "Up until now, [mRNA] technology has never been approved for use in people. A successful mRNA vaccine won’t just be a triumph over the new coronavirus, it’ll be a huge leap forward for the science of vaccine making." The COVID-19 pandemic has given rise to a lot of potentially dangerous misinformation. For reliable advice on COVID-19, including symptoms, prevention, and available treatment, please refer to the World Health Organization or your national healthcare authority.