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Opinion Piece
Opinion Piece
Opinion Piece
COVID-19 Pandemic
Thesis statement: Because of this global pandemic, the time has come to push aside the
conspiracies and accept that genetic engineering is all around us and can positively impact
people's health by mitigating the looming food shortage and providing a medical response to the
virus.
Do you think genetic engineering is a good thing? Before you answer that, consider that
nearly all parts of the world are suffering due to the Coronavirus outbreak. We are all asking
ourselves, when will this all be over? In the meantime, stay-at-home orders have impacted
almost every aspect of life including our food chain. In all of this chaos, genetic engineering may
Genetically engineered (GE) crops can be part of the answer. Genetic engineering
produces plant strains that are insect resistant, can survive in harsh environments, and have a
longer shelf life. Genetically engineered foods are already all around us, growing on many of our
farms and stockpiling our grocery shelves. It may seem more like science fiction but it is reality.
The Covid-19 worldwide pandemic has helped to shine a light on genetic engineering
and the foods it can produce. According to a report by USA Today, “40 to 75 percent of the food
engineered foods include sugar beets, soybeans, corn, apples, and squash.
Bolstering the food chain is only part of the problem. Everyone is eager to get back to life
as normal. The creation of a vaccine is critical to allowing life as we knew it before the pandemic
to resume. Scientists are using genetic engineering to accomplish that task. On the front lines of
the COVID battle, scientists are using genetic engineering science to create a vaccine.
The vaccine is designed to alter the genetic code of the virus so that its presence in the
bloodstream does not cause illness, but triggers the immune system to produce antibodies that
are then available to combat the virus, should a person be exposed to the infectious strain.
The benefits of genetic engineering, whether in agriculture or infectious disease control, can be
Despite the benefits of genetic engineering, many people oppose the idea. Lack of
education fuels conspiracy theories that condemn GE. In the absence of facts, misinformed
beliefs create unjustifiable perceptions. Research suggests that the very people who are most
vocal in their opposition to genetic engineering are the least informed. Often opponents of
genetic engineering cite religious objections to modifying the building blocks of God’s creations.
In addition to agriculture and vaccines, genetic engineering can improve life in many
ways. Genetic engineering can produce stronger plants, eliminate illnesses in young and unborn
children, help prevent genetic disorders, and allow humans to potentially live longer. The science
When it comes to formulating an opinion about genetic engineering, emotion should not
cloud our judgment. The more we learn about genetic engineering, the more able we will be to
make informed decisions about the science behind it, its contributions to humanity, and the