Big Words start conversations and open doors to new places.
Author: anwaryusef
Anwar Y. Dunbar is a Regulatory Scientist. Being a naturally curious person, he is also a student of all things. He earned his Ph.D. in Pharmacology from the University of Michigan and his Bachelor’s Degree in General Biology from Johnson C. Smith University (JCSU). Prior to starting the Big Words Blog Site, Anwar published and contributed to numerous research articles in competitive scientific journals reporting on his research from graduate school and postdoctoral years. After falling in love with writing, he contributed to the now defunct Examiner.com, and the Edvocate where he regularly wrote about: Education-related stories/topics, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), Financial Literacy; as well as conducted interviews with notable individuals such as actor and author Hill Harper. Having many influences, one of his most notable heroes is author, intellectual and speaker, Malcolm Gladwell, author of books including Outliers and David and Goliath.
Anwar has his hands in many, many activities. In addition to writing, Anwar actively mentors youth, works to spread awareness of STEM careers, serves on the Board of Directors of the Friends of the David M. Brown Arlington Planetarium, serves as Treasurer for the JCSU Washington, DC Alumni Chapter, and is active in the Dave Ramsey Financial Peace Ministry at the Alfred Street Baptist Church. He also tutors in the subjects of biology, chemistry and physics.
Along with his multi-talented older brother Amahl Dunbar (designer of the Big Words logos, inventor and a plethora of other things), Anwar is a “Fanboy” and really enjoys Science-Fiction and Superhero movies including but not restricted to Captain America Civil War, Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice, and Prometheus. He is a proud native of Buffalo, NY.
Three focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money, Business/Entrepreneurship and Technology. In modern times, a significant amount of business is conducted online. As such you need to be prepared to conduct your business this way. The following contributed post is entitled, The Case For Taking Your Business Online.
Since its inception in the early 90s, the World Wide Web has completely changed the world. Once thought of as a simple communication platform for academics and nerds alike, the web has grown into a multimedia, multidimensional vehicle for information. In addition, improvements to internet speed technology, accessibility and availability, and the advent of smartphone technology with social media make the web a haven for business in the modern world.
Additionally, the inclusion of safe and secure transaction technologies such as PayPal and cryptocurrencies has facilitated international business on a massive scale. However, despite the helpful features of using the internet for business, most small to medium-sized enterprises don’t use it to its full advantage.
In the Palm of Your Hand
Just a few short years ago, to access the internet, you would have to purchase a bulky PC and dedicate a section of a room for its use. However, advancements in mobile phone technology, namely smartphones, have allowed internet access in the palm of your hand. Since then, businesses have embraced online assets such as digital marketing to operate their business online. As a result, over 50% of people now use their mobile devices for search.
There are various methods involved in digital marketing, such as social media campaigns that utilize multiple platforms for communication and engagement. Online agencies are also experts in developing creative assets such as logos and infographics. In addition, one of their primary tools is the use of search engine optimization for driving website traffic.
Local, National, and International Reach
SEO is a vital part of online business. You can develop a website for your business, but it’s no good if no one can find it. SEO is the art and science of using keywords and phrases related to your company and seeding them across the web using digital content. Such content includes blog posts, images, guest posts, and backlinks.
The purpose of SEO is to drive organic traffic from search engine results pages when a user searches for either your company directly or something related to your business. In principle, more traffic equals more potential business. However, SEO can also be configured for local results, known as local SEO. Local SEO displays your company concerning either a user’s query based on location or the actual location determined by their IP address.
Getting a Foothold
It’s never too late to embrace the online world as a business. Yet, surprisingly in 2021, 70% of small to medium businesses still don’t use any form of SEO. This includes local SEO. Therefore, by implementing a solid online marketing infrastructure such as video marketing, SEO, PPC ads, and earned media, you will be in an advantageous position to beat the competition.
Taking your business online also establishes your company as an authority in the field. As you generate more traffic to your site, search engines such as Google see it as relevant to your sector. This, in turn, increases the chances of your business appearing for more related broad-term searches. This can help drive even more traffic to your company and establish it among the best.
Three focuses of my blog are Home/Living Discussions, Home/Property Discussions and Technology. Many people want to make their homes “green” so that they can take advantage of the abundance of solar power available from the sun. While it’s a good idea, it’s important to be smart about it. The following contributed post is entitled, What To Think About Before Installing Solar Power In Your Home.
* * *
Solar panels are an accessible way to start benefiting from solar power in your home. You get the benefit of renewable energy, helping you to be kinder to the planet and eventually save some money too. Before you start installing solar panels, there are some things that you should consider. It’s not necessarily the right choice for everyone, so you need to think about what it entails and whether it’s going to benefit you. There are both pros and cons to consider, as well as some practicalities to take into account. Think about some of these things before you make a choice.
Cost
The cost of solar panels is the first thing that many people want to know. Is it going to save you money each year? How long will it be before you’ve made your money back? It’s important to research prices to find out how much you could be paying. But it’s also a good idea to check a couple of other things. Firstly, check if there are any grants or subsidies to help you pay for your solar panels. Secondly, check if you can be paid for feeding any excess power for your panels back into the grid.
You should think about the amount of power that you want to generate with solar panels. Are you hoping to power your whole home or most of your home? The amount of power you need will determine how many solar panels you want and how much space you’ll need for them. One solar panel can generally produce around 250W of power, which means that ten panels will give you a 2.5kW system. Most people probably don’t have the space to power their whole home, unless they have the space and money to pay for it.
Work to Be Carried Out
The process to install your solar panels also needs to be considered. If you’ll be installing them on your roof, you need to make sure that the roof is strong enough. Any problems with the tiles on your roof could be an issue after the panels have been installed because replacing the tiles will mean you need to remove the panels. So before installing, get your roof checked. A Level 2 Electrician will help you to install a meter for your solar system. They can also carry out other electrical work that might be required if you choose to install solar panels.
Alternatives to Consider
Solar panels are often the go-to choice for renewable energy, but there are other options available too. Consider whether there are other options that could meet your needs instead. Some of the renewable energy choices that you might consider include air source and ground source heat pumps, wind turbines, and even hydroelectricity. Think about what your goals are, your budget, and other factors that might affect what you’re looking for.
Before you install solar power in your home, consider these important things that could influence whether solar panels will work for you.
Two focuses of my blog are Career Discussions and General Education. All careers require some level of study. When launching into a new career, you want to get off to the best start possible. The following contributed post is entitled, Get Off To A Good Start When Studying For A New Career.
Studying for a new career, whether it’s your first career or you’re retraining, opens up new opportunities for you. It might be time-consuming and maybe expensive too, but it’s worth it if you want to improve your future. If you’ve chosen to study for a new career, you can choose to put in the minimum amount of effort to get the qualifications and experience that you need or you can try to do as much as possible to put yourself in the best position at the beginning of your career. When you are still learning and just starting out, here are some of the things you can do to find success.
Get the Right Tools
Having the right tools when you’re studying is a must. There are some things that you might be required to have while completing a course or attending lessons. However, even outside of formal learning, it can be a good idea to have some useful tools for self-led learning. As a dental student, buying your tools from dental equipment suppliers will ensure you have the right supplies to learn in your own time. If you’re learning to code, there are software programs and tools that will help you to practice.
Seek Out Work Experience
As well as learning in a classroom environment or by following educational material, it’s always helpful to get “real world” experience. Looking for work experience will help you to prepare for the world of work, once you have the required certifications and knowledge to get started in your new career. Having work experience will make it easier for you to find a job when you’re ready. You might find that there are internships available or shorter work experience days or weeks. Shadowing someone or being mentored by someone can help you to learn a lot.
Knowing the right people is extremely helpful when you’re starting a new career. It’s much easier to get a foot in the door if you have some connections. You don’t need to know very powerful people, but it’s helpful if you start getting to know some people who are already established in your industry. They won’t necessarily give you a job opportunity directly, but you could know someone who can inform you of something that’s suitable for you, recommend you, give you a reference or offer advice on how to find a job.
Choose Your First Job Carefully
When it’s time to find your first role in your new career, it’s understandable that you might want to take the first opportunity that comes along. You might be scared that you won’t get anything better, even if you’re unsure about the role that’s being offered to you. However, you should be careful about finding your first job. While you can’t expect to step into your dream role, you should think about what you’re looking for and what you don’t want.
When you’re studying for a new career, there are plenty of things you can do to prepare yourself and get the best start.
Two focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. When you own a store, you want to constantly think about how you can boost and maintain sales and profits. The following contributed post is entitled, What You Can Do To Increase Growth At Your Store.
* * *
Running your own store can be very challenging and it can seem that you get to a point of success and growth but then everything seems to trail off and you start to go nowhere. It can be hard to know what changes you can make to really improve the store and make it carry on growing or start growing and gaining more success, you need to know what changes you can make and then implement them but this isn’t always as straightforward as it may seem.
If you are running your own store and you are unsure what you could do to help it grow and see more success then hopefully, these few tips should give you an understanding of what changes you can make to help your business grow further.
Businesses have always tried to pride themselves on customer service but this is now outdated, you need to be focusing on the whole customer experience from start to finish. It is easy to make sure they get good service once they ask for something in store or call up but making sure their experience from the outset is great can be tougher to achieve. This means making sure everyone is working in sync to help the customer experience this is sales, customer service, and even the overall cleanliness of the place.
Keep on top of your inventory
A major issue for some stores is making sure they manage their inventory properly. It can be a killer for your store if a customer is coming in and the product they are looking for is out of stock, so making sure you keep checking stock and ordering more in is really important for retaining your customers. Also make sure you are restocking shelves you can lose money because someone is popping in looking to just grab something quick and it is not on the shelf, they then have to wait for your staff to check out back and so on, this is not a good experience for your customer and can lead them to not want to shop there again and rescue your growth as a result.
Expand your store
Sometimes your success outgrows the store itself, maybe you do not have the shelf space to keep enough stock or you need more shelving to add new stock lines and expand you business. If you want your store to grow you need to open to growing the actually store itself with it, if you do not have the parking sayt for the amount of customers you want then you are going to end up losing customers so try extending you parking spaces, you can get in contractors like cjj services who can do new lines for your car park and help to extend it for you and in more spaces.
If you are looking to help grow your store and see more success but you are unsure where to start or what you can do then these few tips should help you to understand what changes can be made and help you get started.
Two key focuses of my blog are General Education and STEM. While education seems to be more so now favoring the hard sciences, there is still an important role played by the arts. Not only do the arts make us ‘whole’ in a way, but they can also help with our education in mathematics and the sciences. The following contributed post is entitled, Why Practicing An Art Can Help Your Math Skills.
Most things in life are numbers. Paychecks, TV channels, passwords, and shopping are just a few of the times we are faced with numbers. Math is at the basis for most things including the arts. Using the creative part of your brain is just as important as using the more cerebral (no pun intended) part of your brain. When you exercise both, your brain is more healthy, but the bonus is that your math and even science skills can be greatly improved by doing things like drawing, playing an instrument, and even dancing.
Here are a few artistic outlets you can try to balance your brain and improve your numbers game.
Take Up an Instrument
As entertaining as it is to see a musician feel the music and rock out on stage, music is really math. Each note you hear has a numerical value, and just like any scientific equation, the values all come together to make a melodious sound that is music to your ears. Notes have values like quarter notes, whole notes, and half notes that change value according to the time signature the music is composed in changing the beats and equation of the music. You will need some great math skills to be a good musician and playing music is also a great creative break from all your normal thinking.
Draw a Picture
Any architect will tell you that drawing is all inches and centimeters. To draw a great picture is all about perception and shapes, which will not only help your numbers game, but it will also help your geometry game as well. Knowing shapes like parallelogram, rhombus, or decahedron will come in handy when putting together your next great piece of art. Drawing is total perception, so knowing angles will help your artwork look like it should be hanging in a museum. Go to the store and get some art supplies and start flexing your numbers, your angles, and shapes before they get weak.
Let’s Dance
Athletes have been known to take dance because it helps them with agility and stamina on the field or on the court. Dance not only helps stimulate your physical agility, but dance can also stimulate your mental agility as well, especially in the realm of mathematics. Dance, as beautiful as it is to watch and experience, is all math. Every dancer keeps count as they dance in order to keep to the rhythm. Without music, a dancer can still perform and create a beautiful piece of art simply by using counting. By taking a dance class, you can release from the tension and stress of the world while using math to stay on the beat and move your body. If you have a science background in human physiology, dance is one of the best ways to feel the movement and workings of the body.
It may seem that art is for the artists, but little do they know, as a mathematician, without you there would be no art.
Two focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. Regardless of what’s happening in the world, there will always be the need for construction and likewise, construction businesses. The following contributed post is entitled, 5 Tips To Manage A Construction Business.
Managing a construction company is incredibly hard work. You’ll have plenty to focus on from finding talented staff to project budgets and time management. To help you to manage your construction company, pay attention to these five simple tips.
1 . Lead generation
To effectively manage a construction business it’s important to develop your leads pipeline. You need a steady flow of leads to ensure that you’ve always got new projects on the horizon. Lead generation is all about getting your business noticed. There are plenty of ways to generate leads such as:
● Boost local SEO. ● Revamp your website. ● Collect testimonials and reviews. ● Design quality content. ● Use social media. ● Work with a lead generation service.
2. Determine your niche
The construction industry is incredibly competitive, so how can you be sure that you stand out? Well, it’s a good idea to determine your niche, focusing on a specialist service. You might choose to focus on commercial construction, residential, or specific businesses like restaurant construction. Focusing on a specialist service can help you to remain competitive in a crowded market place.
If you don’t have an area of speciality, think about your unique selling point. What can you offer that other businesses can’t?
3. Project management software
Project management software helps businesses to organize their projects, and achieve the best project results. The software includes a wide range of features including quotes and billing, reports, Gantt charts, collaboration, scheduling and planning, team collaboration, and more.
In the construction industry there are specialist software tools that can support your project processes. For instance, construction document management software. The software can help you to share projects with ease. Construction companies use plenty of documents on a day to day basis, with the right software you can effectively manage your info.
4. Hire the right people
To develop a quality construction business, you need to focus on hiring the right people. From your contractors to your office staff, you’ll need to develop effective recruitment procedures. Conduct several stage interviews, obtain the correct references, and take advantage of digital hiring software.
Offer ongoing training, and help your team to learn and improve. Before you advertise your roles, think about your company culture. Consider the type of employees you are looking to attract, and what perks you could offer to attract them. When you keep your staff happy you’ll reduce costly turnover.
5. Improve your leadership skills
Running a construction business involves effective leadership. To lead your teams you’ll need to focus on organization, and assess your performance. Leadership means effective communication, from listening skills to strategic thinking. Strengthening your leadership skills takes practice, there are a number of leadership courses which can support your learning journey.
Managing a construction company is all about the customers, it’s about delivering the highest quality outcomes possible. To help you improve, ensure that you collect plenty of customer feedback. Your customers can provide lots of valuable info which can help you to improve.
Two focuses of my blog are Home/Living and Home/Property Discussions. If you own a home, one thing you will consider at some point is doing some renovations. The following contributed post is entitled, Things To Consider When Renovating.
When planning to renovate there is so much to think about and focus upon. You might have grand plans when it comes to making your home more aesthetically pleasing and forgets to consider final touches when it comes to updating your bathroom and other homely spaces. By considering these few points you can ensure that your home ends up being not only attractive but functional as well.
Think Ahead
When renovating it is important to plan this not only for the now but also for your future life within your home. Try to consider how your and your family’s needs will change as you all grow and develop and factor this into your plans. Not only will this save you further renovation time and cost in the future it will make the home more enjoyable for you all.
Know Where Your Items Will Go
Having a strong idea of the end result and where you are intending your furniture to go will help you be able to make a strategic plan as to where to best place things such as light sockets and plugs. It will also help you remain focused on the goal you are looking to achieve and will stop you from changing your mind throughout the process and ending up with more work to complete.
Have A Plan
By knowing what work needs completing you will be able to plan the most effective way to get it all done and set a realistic expectation when it comes to timescales. It will also help you plan and research the best route to get the work completed. For example, if you are going to change your roof, you will be able to spend time researching what is the best elastomeric roof coating? Prepping yourself and planning everything before starting is important. That’s why one of the most important investments you can make when it comes to renovating is a good quality air compressor. An air compressor offers increased safety for big projects, and its power and precision allow for precise changes and adjustments that add an extra level of care and refinement to any renovation project. With a suitable air compressor, the results of your project could be better than ever before!
Go Eco-Friendly
When renovating it is the perfect opportunity to review or make changes to make your property more eco-friendly. You may choose to upgrade and install smart technologies that allow more control of lighting and heating from smart devices such as mobile phones. This way you can control what energies you are using and can be more conscious of waste. Not only will this help with the efficiency of your property but small changes such as this can help the environment as well.
Think Flooring
It can be easy to get carried away thinking about the overall image you are looking to achieve. But, remember to think about how practical this will be for you and your family. There are so many options available so with some consideration you will be able to strike the perfect balance between something functional and attractive. For example, consider the benefits of hard flooring versus carpet when it comes to your living room. Carpet can add the effect of a cozy space however the upkeep of this may be harder if you have a young family and it makes be more practical to have hard flooring that can be cleaned easier and use a rug to make the room more inviting.
Two focuses of my blog are Athletics/Sports and Health/Wellness. Just because we age does not mean that we have to give up competition and physical activity which are very beneficial health wise. The following contributed post is entitled, How To Take Up A New Sport In Older Age.
* * *
More and more people are realizing the benefits of being active and playing sports as they get into older age. But for some, it still remains a daunting challenge, even if they were actively playing sports in their younger years. If you’re looking to get back into sports and enjoying the rewards that come with it, there are lots of different paths that you can take, and the tips below should help you.
First of all, you should get into the habit of stretching before you start any exercise. As you get older, one of the things you start to struggle with is your flexibility. If you’re not sure how you can improve your flexibility, yoga can help. But simply stretching more often will do the trick as well. So warm up before and warm down after every game you play or activity you do.
Choose a Sport That Builds Endurance
When choosing the sport that you’re going to start playing, it might be a good idea to choose one that builds endurance. This is true of most sports, but it’s not of some such as golf. Being active in a way that promotes cardiovascular activity will help you to endure more and get fitter over time as your levels of activity increase week after week.
Ensure Your Diet is Appropriate
If you’re going to be playing sports on a regular basis, it’ll make sense for you to also think about your diet. You need to be fueling your body properly when you’re increasing your activity levels. That’s true at all stages of life, but even more important when you’re getting older. There are also some sports supplements that you might want to try out to give you an added boost.
Use Your Brain Too
For many sports, the physical part of it is just one aspect. There are also mental aspects of it as well. You need to make sure that your brain is properly active and being worked out if you want to enjoy the maximum benefits that come with playing sports. Thinking tactically and outsmarting your opponent is all part of the fun. And it’ll help to keep your brain active into old age as well.
Make it Social and Fun
Sports should first and foremost be fun. So as long as you’re having fun, you’re doing something right. And if you’re not enjoying it, maybe it’s time to find a different sport that you might be better suited to. There’s a deep social aspect to amateur sports too. When you join a team, you’ll meet new people and make friends; that’s an important part of it all.
There’s certainly no reason why you should let your age stop you from playing and enjoying sports. It’s something that more and more people in your age bracket are looking to do, and there’s nothing unusual about it these days. And your body will reap rewards for it as well.
Two focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. If you own or are renting an office building as a part of your business a key consideration is its maintenance. Staying on top of the maintenance will save you money long-term. The following contributed post is entitled, Saving Money With Proactive Maintenance For Your Office Building.
* * *
Office maintenance is a huge cost that businesses have to bear. But if you change the way that you approach it, you can make some big savings. A lot of companies wait until there is a problem and then fix it. That’s fine, but it’s usually cheaper if you can deal with issues before they come up. This is known as proactive building maintenance and it’s the best way to save money on office upkeep. You can also avoid downtime because you are constantly putting out small fires instead of letting them grow into big problems that shut the office down altogether. If you are concerned about your maintenance costs, here are some simple proactive maintenance tips you can follow.
Investing more money on things that will increase the longevity of materials is the easiest way to save money further down the line. For example, if you apply a quality sealant to the asphalt in the car park (visit https://scsealing.com/sealing/ for more information) it will stay in good condition for a lot longer and you won’t constantly be spending money on repairs. Painting the outside of the building with high-quality masonry paint will protect it from the elements. Although these protective solutions may cost you more now, they will drastically increase the longevity of the building and prevent expensive maintenance.
Follow A Maintenance List
There are a lot of small maintenance jobs that need to be done on a regular basis. If these jobs are neglected, they will spiral and turn into expensive maintenance problems. Things like painting or cleaning gutters, for example, are simple jobs to do but they often get forgotten. So, make sure that you write a list of weekly, monthly and annual jobs. As long as you follow these lists to the letter, you can get into a good maintenance routine and keep the office in good shape. Visit https://www.coworkingresources.org/ for a sample maintenance list.
Get Systems Tested Annually
Small maintenance jobs are fairly easy to handle but there are some big problems that require expert assistance. Things like the plumbing and heating systems should be checked annually by a professional to make sure that there are no issues. People often avoid this because they think it’s an unnecessary expense, especially when there are no obvious problems. However, if you can pick up small issues now and solve them early, it will save you a lot of money.
Invest In Modern Fixtures
When you are making upgrades to your office, always opt for the most up-to-date option available. Eventually, these innovative fixtures and materials will become the standard and you will be forced to upgrade eventually anyway. For example, it’s a good idea to install fiber optic cables in the office because, in the near future, everybody will be using them and they will become a necessity. If you can future-proof your office, you won’t need to make as many expensive changes later on.
Proactive building maintenance is the most effective way to manage your office running costs, so think about changing your approach to office maintenance.
As many of my readers and YouTube subscribers know, here on the Big Words Blog Site, most of the content published is now coming from collaborators and customers in the form of shorter informational pieces. With multiple YouTube channels and now another blog for more literary writing, I only have time to write and publish a few pieces of my own here. While others opted for the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines, I took the Johnson and Johnson Covid-19 vaccine within the last month and as a scientist, I wanted to write something about it.
As described in my initial submission on the new ScoonTV publication, one of the videos on my science and technology YouTube channel was taken down for ‘violating community guidelines’. I have since been hesitant to talk about the vaccines in any way, but with this platform belonging to me, I can discuss whatever I want to. Whether or not the social media platforms allow it to be shared, remains to be seen.
As you know there was a lot of controversy surrounding the Covid-19 vaccines, in addition to the pandemic itself. When talking with a good friend, I pondered that the pandemic may have been the younger generations’ World War 2 or Vietnam, in addition to maybe the 911 attacks. That is no disrespect to anyone who lived through those wars and tragedies or participated in them, but none of the younger generations have lived through a crisis like this.
My Reasons For Getting Vaccinated
I decided to take one of the Covid-19 vaccines for a number for reasons. As described, for a period I uploaded several videos on the pandemic on my science and technology YouTube channel. In short, I honestly was not one of the individuals who was in a rush to get vaccinated. In my opinion there were some very peculiar circumstances surrounding the pandemic which I will not go into here, but to some degree, the need to vaccinate everyone did raise my antennae along with those of other people. In short, I wasn’t going to be one of the first to get vaccinated and took a “wait and see approach”.
In that regard, seeing my relatives get vaccinated with no adverse reactions helped allay some of my concerns. Other individuals who were close to me received their vaccinations was also another line of evidence for me. Ultimately, like most everyone else, I wanted to be able to move about freely without concern and get back to a level of normalcy.
Returning To Normalcy
On that same vein, the featured image for this story is from my trip to the Albany area for Father’s Day 2021. Prior to the pandemic, I made two to three trips a year to New York State’s Capital Region to visit my father via train. During the pandemic, I defaulted to making the five-hour drive to the Albany area and the eight-hour drive to Buffalo to see family. Needless to say, that driving is more work than simply closing one’s eyes, or looking out of the window and daydreaming on a train or an airplane.
Going back to the featured image, it was taken trackside next to my Northeast Regional Train in Alexandria, VA. Amtrak did not mandate its passengers to be vaccinated, though we did have to wear masks once boarded, a rule that was respected by some and not by others. The first leg of my trip from Washington, DC to the New York City area got a little more crowded than I was comfortable with. The second leg from New York City to Albany was relatively empty though. The same was true for the return trip.
What’s In The Three Vaccines?
Now in terms of the vaccines themselves, having backgrounds in Pharmacology and Toxicology, my focus was always on what was in the vaccines in terms of ingredients (active and inert). I wanted to get a feel for their “pharmacodynamics” and potential side effects. In today’s information age, there were lots and lots of rumors and theories floating around about nanotubes and microchips being injected into us. My mother told me that someone in her circle believed that the vaccines would ‘magnetize’ our bodies. It was like the hysteria surrounding 5G technology when people attempted to make it the cause of the pandemic.
While many people are skeptical about the work done of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), their mission from the regulatory context is to protect the health of the nation and to make sure that the foods and medications we take are safe. The vaccines thus had to go through the FDA for approval for “emergency” usage. To determine the safety of the vaccines, I pulled the memoranda for each of the three vaccines approved in the United States from the FDA’s website to ascertain what was in the vaccines.
The following are the ingredients contained in the vaccines. The verbiage and characterization were lifted directly from the FDA memoranda which are hyperlinked in case readers want to go and look for themselves. The “efficacy” and side effects are also characterized in each memorandum.
The Moderna Vaccine
The Moderna vaccine is an off-white, sterile, preservative-free frozen suspension for intramuscular injection. The vaccine contains a synthetic messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) encoding the pre-fusion stabilized spike glycoprotein (S) of SARS-CoV-2 virus. The vaccine also contains the following ingredients: lipids (SM-102, 1,2-dimyristoyl-rac-glycero- 3-methoxypolyethylene glycol-2000 [PEG2000-DMG], cholesterol, and 1, 2-distearoyl-sn-hocholine [DSPC]), tromethamine, tromethamine hydrochloride, acetic acid, sodium acetate, and sucrose.
The Pfizer Vaccine
The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine is a white to off-white, sterile, preservative-free, frozen suspension for intramuscular injection. The vaccine contains a nucleoside-modified messenger RNA (modRNA) encoding the viral spike glycoprotein (S) of SARS-CoV-2. The vaccine also includes the following ingredients: lipids ((4-hydroxybutyl)azanediyl)bis(hexane-6,1-diyl)bis(2- hexyldecanoate), 2-[(polyethylene glycol)-2000]-N,N-ditetradecylacetamide, 1,2-distearoyl-sn- glycero-3-phosphocholine, and cholesterol), potassium chloride, monobasic potassium phosphate, sodium chloride, dibasic sodium phosphate dihydrate, and sucrose.
The Johnson And Johnson Vaccine
The Janssen COVID-19 vaccine is a colorless to slightly yellow, clear to very opalescent sterile suspension for intramuscular injection. The vaccine consists of a replication-incompetent recombinant adenovirus type 26 (Ad26) vector expressing the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein in a stabilized conformation. The vaccine also contains the following inactive ingredients: citric acid monohydrate, trisodium citrate dihydrate, ethanol, 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HBCD), polysorbate 80, sodium chloride.
Getting My Shot
Assuming none of the ingredients were intentionally omitted, nothing I read personally in any of the vaccines alarmed me. I chose the Johnson and Johnson vaccine because I liked the mechanism of action more (a DNA Adenovirus vs micro RNA), and I just wanted to take one shot and be done with it. I was discouraged, though, after the Johnson and Johnson vaccine was initially pulled for a rare side effect, blood clots, I believe. When I decided to get vaccinated, I could not find it initially and then one day when doing a random search online, I saw that the CVS pharmacy that I frequent at Pentagon City was, in fact, offering it. After making a reservation, I went and got it on a Friday around noon.
I was cautioned from the nurse or pharmacist that I might experience symptoms of some sort over the next 48 hours. There was the inevitable pinch/sting from the needle and then I felt a sensation in my shoulder which radiated up towards my neck. That went away quickly. I hung around in the pharmacy area for the next 15-20 minutes as instructed. I then took my complimentary 20% off coupon, purchased something and left the store. I did not expect any adverse reaction(s) as I keep myself healthy and have faithfully taken vitamins C, D, E and Magnesium since the pandemic started.
Abandoning Our Masks?
And that was my vaccine experience. I did not write this to sway anyone. Again, as a member of the science community, I just wanted to share my story. I am happy that I got the vaccine I wanted, though I saw an article on Yahoo that said that the Johnson and Johnson vaccine has not rebounded from the initial pulling in terms of popularity. I do not know if this means that it will be abandoned altogether, but I hope not, especially if it has efficacy against the new “Delta Variant”.
I have not completely abandoned my masks. I honestly will have to get used to not using them again. As described earlier, Amtrak insisted on its passengers using them and at least initially and when I fly, I am certain the airlines will also err on the side of caution. For the type of mask I had, it was not that bad for the seven hour ride.
Some stores and proprietorships are still mandating mask. Interestingly, before making my Father’s Day trip, New York State, one of the most vigilant of all the states during the pandemic, lifted all its restrictions. I met up with some old friends at Latin Dance Night in Albany, and no one wore masks as they danced up a storm, respired all over the place and socialized that night.
Do you have a vaccine story? Please feel to leave some comments below this piece. Also please subscribe to my science and technology YouTube channel to hear more science-related discussions like this. I am about 225 subscribers away from the holy number of 1,000.
