In Episode 2 of Season 1, Riaad dissects and examines the myth that the COVID-19 vaccine alters your DNA. This was one of many conspiracy theories going around the internet that created undue fear and distrust of the vaccine. In medical terms, this myth does not hold water, because mRNA vaccines (like Pfizer and Moderna) work by instructing cells to produce a protein that triggers an immune response. The mRNA never enters the cell’s nucleus, where DNA is stored. Additionally, the mRNA from the vaccine only has a temporary presence in the body, as it is broken down and removed by the body after the protein is made. Lasty, regulatory bodies like the CDC and WHO affirm the vaccines’ safety and their inability to alter DNA, after extensive studies and monitoring showed no evidence of DNA alteration.

Instead of going into granular medical detail that might confuse the audience more than clarify, Riaad rather posed the fictional scenario where his DNA changed after getting the vaccine. He became a white Capetonian who bought tickets to see the Parlotones at Kirstenbosch (something Riaad would never do) while his Muslim sister began watching the Afrikaans series “Boer soek a vrou” (translated as “Farmer looking for a wife”). By poking fun at these outlandish claims, Riaad helps to illustrate the absurdity of the myth, ultimately advocating for the safety and necessity of vaccination.