Aimee Stephenson: Vermont leads U.S., from GMO labeling to COVID-19 vaccines

Editor’s note: This commentary is by Aimee Stephenson, of Burlington. She has a doctorate in Microbiology and Molecular Genetics from the University of Vermont.

Just a few short years ago, Vermont led the nation in enacting legislation requiring labeling of food produced with genetic engineering. Foods produced with genetic engineering are also known as genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

Aimee Stephenson

Aimee Stephenson

I find it fascinating that this same little state also led the nation in COVID-19 vaccination rates. On Monday, June 14th, Vermont lifted all COVID-19 restrictions after becoming the first state in the U.S. to have 80% of its eligible population receive at least one dose of the vaccine. Why do I find this fascinating? Because Vermonters may have inadvertently ingested or turned themselves into GMOs when they got the COVID-19 vaccine. COVID-19 vaccines themselves are products of genetic engineering. In fact, in many parts of the world, including Europe, mRNA vaccines meet the definition of “gene therapies,” which introduce genes into your cells to treat or
prevent disease.

Some argue mRNA vaccines are not truly gene therapies because they do not interfere with our human genes. But is the standard narrative really true? We have been assured by the vaccine makers there is no possible way mRNA vaccines can impact our human genes/DNA, but a recent study by MIT and Harvard scientists demonstrates the opposite. This study showed how segments of RNA from the coronavirus itself are most likely becoming a permanent fixture in human DNA. It sure makes you wonder, doesn’t it?

As for “viral vector” vaccines such as the one from Johnson & Johnson, these are genetically modified organisms that meet the classic definition of a GMO. They are viruses that have been genetically engineered to carry the spike protein gene (DNA) into your cells. When a “viral vector” vaccine is injected into your arm, it is no different than ingesting a “Flavr Savr” tomato from Calgene Inc. They are both GMOs. You have to wonder if any Vermonter made this connection as they rushed out to get the shot to protect their neighbor.

One of the main concerns with GMOs is whether they are safe. With this past year’s preoccupation with “staying safe” you would think this would be top of mind. I’m also perplexed as to why so many Vermonters appear to now suddenly trust Big Pharma. These are the same guys who paid out tens of billions of dollars in damages for other products they brought to market knowing they would cause injuries and death.

But with the vaccines, Big Pharma cannot be sued for any harms brought about by the COVID vaccines now or ever. Given the free pass from liability, and the checkered past of these companies, why would we assume the vaccines are safe and somehow made altruistically to “protect” us?

For me, the biggest issue here is unintended consequences. There is example after example of ways humans have intervened in nature trying to solve a problem only to create an even bigger problem. You’d think we would have learned by now that we should not be messing with gain-of-function research on coronaviruses nor should we be experimentally injecting GMOs on a large scale into humans without proper clinical trials. But I guess it’s too late now — 80% of Vermonters are already part of the ongoing clinical trial. So now the only question is: do 80% of Vermonters also need a GMO label?

Images courtesy of Public domain and Aimee Stephenson

6 thoughts on “Aimee Stephenson: Vermont leads U.S., from GMO labeling to COVID-19 vaccines

  1. Interesting observation, almost funny in a dark sort of way. Despite early unsubstantiated claims last spring that the vaccine would help, it is now widely known the vaccine does not stop the spread (https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2021/07/30/1022867219/cdc-study-provincetown-delta-vaccinated-breakthrough-mask-guidance) (others). Personally, I have seen some numbers that indicate people who develop immunity naturally are far less likely to spread the virus than those who are vaccinated. The most troubling thing, in my experience, is that a large number of people I’ve know for many years have suddenly had a change in personality (lower mental agility) since getting their shot. Let’s all just hope these experimental compounds really are safe and those who have gotten them will be fine.

  2. I love that she pointed this out in her article because Vermonters are so high and mighty about trying to be the first to lead the US down the road of health and this is a perfect example of how fear diluted they’re thinking…
    I for one since the beginning said if you don’t want to eat GMOs why would you want to inject them. Big pharma is the new drug dealer as far as I’m concerned.
    I hope more people start to connect the dots and they stop mandating the jabs!
    I also hope this kind of truth shuts down the criticism of the ones who chose not to get the experimental “whatever it is”…

  3. Thanks for spotlighting this part of the vaccine issue, which has a number of parts. One has to wonder, given the inherent risks of introducing a new technology into humans on a mass scale, why they just didn’t make the vaccines the old-fashioned way–that is, with an attenuated whole virus?

    • I fully agree. I also question the way this “experiment” is being conducted. In actuallity, this is not a vaccine by definition, but a biological operating system. Having a background in pharmaceutical sciences, it has always been a standard to have a control group, those who do not participate. This is the only way to test safety and efficacy. There is such a push to put a needle in everyone’s arm, where is the control group? In addition, we have no way of knowing thevlong term effects created by altering one’ natural RNA system. You may enjoy this article.

      https://tessa.substack.com/p/war-natural

      • We the un’vaxxed’ are the nonparticipant control group lol. This is why the authoritarians are panicking. If we know that 45,000 of vaxxed have died with 40,000 w/in 3 days – they of all ppl know this. When ppl start dropping like flies at a faster rate than they already are, but nonparticipantees are not our leaders know they are finished – and possibly facing Nuremberg-level war crimes – as we will all know someone who has succumbed.

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