Seen, read, verified | Is it possible to “devaccinate”?

On several occasions over the past year, recipes and methods for “detoxifying” yourself from a dose of vaccine, or simply getting “devaccinated”, have circulated on social networks. But why would anyone want to put back into the syringe what was injected into the arm?

Judith Lachapelle
The Press

We have been there one, two, three or even four times already. And sometimes reluctantly, because we felt compelled to go. If you regret having been vaccinated, is it possible to be “devaccinated”?

This is a curious intention. But since the question has been asked, let’s answer it: no, it is not possible to “devaccinate” after having received one or more doses of vaccine. The vaccine ingredients are eliminated within days of vaccination, but its protective effects are there for good (fortunately, by the way).

The vaccine teaches the immune system to recognize an enemy, produce antibodies to fight it, and remember it for the next time it faces it. Even after months (or even years), the immune system remembers a “description” of this enemy – a memory that nevertheless needs to be refreshed after a while with a booster dose.

However, methods of “devaccination” or “detoxification” circulate on social networks. What do they offer?

Last November, in a video that went viral, an American osteopath offered to “take a detox bath” by rubbing her skin with a mixture of baking soda, Epsom salts, Borax and bentonite clay.

Recently, the sharing on Facebook of a recipe for “devaccination” – which suggests taking various products such as glutathione (an antioxidant), pine needle extract, zeolite crystals (a mineral), herbal tea from ‘Artemisia annuaiodine or “marine plasma” (sterilized sea water) – has caused concern… and mockery.

Do vaccines contain graphene, “spike proteins” and RNA as this post suggested?

First, it should be noted that the list of ingredients contained in vaccines is public.

Then let’s go one by one.

Graphene: no, there is none. Last summer, observations published by a Spanish researcher, who believed he had identified graphene oxide in a vial of Pfizer vaccine, were contradicted by many scientists. The researcher also acknowledged that his observations were “inconclusive”.

“Spike” protein, or “S protein”: this is the spike (spike in English) characteristic of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus that the immune system must learn to recognize. The vaccine does not contain protein S, but it delivers a recipe for human cells to make a similar but harmless version. The “false” S proteins are then eliminated by the antibodies developed by the immune system itself.

RNA: In the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, the recipe for making S proteins is contained in messenger RNA, which is made up of a portion of the RNA of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Once its message is delivered to the cells, the messenger RNA breaks down on its own within days of vaccination.

Suppose we want to try these recipes to ensure that the vaccine ingredients are eliminated, what is the risk?

It all depends on the products used. “These are not all harmless products,” says pharmacist Yann Gaudreault. NAC (N-acetyl-cysteine), for example, is a prescription drug used to treat liver poisoning. “It has nothing to do with the immune system. The taking of ivermectin, an antiparasitic drug that many studies have shown to be ineffective against COVID-19, has been the subject of reports in poison control centers. Conifer extracts “are widely used as an expectorant in cases of bronchitis, but there is little evidence to support the effectiveness of their use,” says Gaudreault.

If the dusting of baking soda or Epsom salts in his bath is relatively harmless (in small quantities, at least), that of Borax is strongly discouraged because of its toxicity. “These are products that can be very irritating,” reminds the pharmacist.

What to do if you regret having been vaccinated?

Even if it is not possible to be “vaccinated”, some people will regret having taken up the sleeve, observes psychologist Geneviève Beaulieu-Pelletier. “Some did it because they felt a little forced,” she recalls, referring to the time when the passport vaccine was in force. The vaccine is an “intrusive” act, she says. “For a lot of people, it’s not a disturbing issue. We don’t like getting vaccinated, but we agree to do it because it’s worth it. But for other people, this intrusion is very great. »

Over time, “frustrations have built up and can make a person no longer want to have this vaccine in them”.

How should we approach this desire for “devaccination”? First, by drawing from the sources of this intention. “If we’re looking for ways to detoxify, it’s because we may feel anxious and anxious,” says the psychologist. “When we are able to put into words what makes us uncomfortable, we can lower the pressure. A confrontation with an anxious loved one is not useful, she recalls. “As a friend, we have to understand that if the person needs to believe in that, it’s precisely because there’s a malaise behind it. »

And finally, she suggests taking as much care in assessing “detoxification” methods as one might put into assessing the toxicity of vaccines. “If I say it’s important for me to know what I’m putting in my body, then it’s also important to make sure these alternatives are really safe. You have to apply the same logic. »