Issue 62 online
Greetings.
Issue 62 of the Nathaniel Report is now available online here (PDF, 200Kb)
The issue contains articles on euthanasia and cannabis that we trust you will find informative in the lead-up to the referendum questions that all voters will be asked to vote on.
We understand that PDFs are not an ideal format for people who are visually impaired. For those of you who may struggle to read the PDF, there is also an option to have the articles read aloud to you through a web app called Natural Readers:
- Go to https://www.naturalreaders.com/ using your preferred browser
- Click on “Go To Online Reader”
- Drag the PDF file above and drop in the text box on the natural readers website as per the instructions
- You can choose the accent and the speed of the reader
- Go to the page or article that you wish to have read out and ‘play’ and ‘pause’ as you would with any other audio file.
We trust that you find something of interest in this issue.
Understanding the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine
Staff of the Nathaniel Centre
How does the immune system and immunity work?
When viruses, bacteria, or fungi enter our body, our immune system responds by producing proteins called antibodies to protect us from them. For every different germ we are
exposed to, our immune system produces a specific protein – an antibody – to protect us from it. However, it takes time for our immune system to produce these antibodies the first time we are exposed to a new germ and, whilst this process is happening, we are susceptible to becoming ill. However, once our immune system has produced an antibody, it remembers how to make it and it remembers the specific germ the antibody is for. This means that if the virus, bacteria or fungi ever enters our body again, our immune system will recognise it and quickly produce the specific antibody needed to tackle it.1, 2
COVID vaccine handout
Vaccination against the COVID-19 virus is regarded as a critical step in overcoming the corona virus pandemic. New Zealand has now begun rolling out its public vaccination programme using the two-dose Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine. The NZ Catholic bishops are strongly urging everyone in Aotearoa New Zealand to get a COVID-19 vaccine when it becomes available.
See our COVID vaccine handout (PDF).
COVID-19 vaccine – Should Catholics vaccinate using an ethically compromised vaccine?
Notes on COVID-19 Vaccines and the moral implications of their manufacture
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