COVID-19 Vaccine Myths & Facts

1. MYTH: The COVID-19 vaccine enters your cells and changes your DNA.

FACT: The COVID-19 vaccines are designed to help your body’s immune system fight the coronavirus. There are currently two types of COVID-19 vaccines that have been and recommended for use in the United States: messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines and a viral vector vaccine. Both these vaccines deliver instructions (genetic material) to our cells to start building protection against the virus that causes COVID-19. The messenger RNA from two vaccines does enter cells, but not the nucleus of the cells where DNA resides. The mRNA does its job to cause the cell to make protein to stimulate the immune system, and then it quickly breaks down, without affecting your DNA.

2. MYTH: Being near someone who received a COVID-19 vaccine can affect your menstrual cycle.

FACT: No, your menstrual cycle cannot be affected by being near someone who received a COVID-19 vaccine. There are many things which can affect menstrual cycles, including stress, changes in your schedule, problems with sleep, and changes in diet or exercise. Infections are also found to affect the menstrual cycle.

3. MYTH: The vaccine will not protect against COVID-19 Variants.

FACT: This is not necessarily true. The term “variant” refers to versions of the virus with new mutations. Moving forward, the vaccine efficacy could lessen as more variants emerge over time. This is why it’s important to get the population vaccinated and limit transmission as soon as possible.

4. MYTH: Once I get the COVID-19 vaccine I can stop wearing a mask and social distancing from others.

FACT: No, you would still need to wear a mask, wash your hands, and practice social distancing even after you get the COVID-19 vaccine. These preventative measures will stay in place until more people are vaccinated and health experts have a better idea of how long the vaccine’s immunity lasts. Even though the vaccines are 95% effective, they are not 100%, which is why people still must use caution even after they are vaccinated.

5. MYTH: The COVID-19 vaccine can affect women’s fertility.

FACT: The COVID-19 vaccine will not affect women’s fertility. In fact it encourages the body to create copies of the spike protein found on the Coronavirus’ surface. This in turn, “teaches” the body’s immune system to fight the virus that has a specific spike protein on in.

In addition to this, during a Pfizer vaccine test, it was observed that out of the 23 pregnant women volunteers involved in the study, only one suffered a pregnancy loss. However, this one woman volunteer had actually received a placebo and not even the actual vaccine.

6. MYTH: The second dose of the vaccine is not needed.6.

FACT: This is not true. According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one is considered “fully vaccinated” only after they take both doses of the vaccine. Moreover, according to AIIMS chief Dr. Randeep Guleria, the first dose if the vaccine does not produce protective immunity, but rather prepares the immune system to fight against the COVID-19 infection. Therefore, one is required to take both doses of the vaccine.

When you first get exposed to a vaccine or a foreign substance, your body generates cells in order to start recognising that foreign substance. However, after the second dose, you develop a stronger as well as a long-term immunity. Moreover, the response after the second dose is much larger in magnitude as well as longer lasting.

In conclusion, it is the second dose that triggers the immune system to produce large number of antibodies; resulting in cell-mediated immunity. It also stimulates the memory cells so that the body remembers the injection for a long term and helps produce antibodies quickly in case of infection. Therefore, the second dose of the vaccine is a must.

7. MYTH: The COVID-19 vaccine is unsafe because it was developed so quickly.

FACT: The authorized vaccines are proven safe and effective. Although they were developed in record time, because of the world-wide impact of the pandemic, they have gone through the same rigorous Food and Drug Administration process as any other vaccine. Thus, no steps were skipped and they meet all safety standards.

The safety requirements in clinical trials for the COVID-19 vaccine were just as strict as the regular process for any other vaccine.

8. MYTH: The side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine are dangerous and life threatening.

FACT: Some of the COVID-19 vaccines can have side effects, but the vast majority are very short term and neither serious nor dangerous. The vaccine developers report that some people may experience pain where they were injected, body aches, headaches, fever etc. However, this lasts only for a few days.

Moreover, these are signs indicating that the vaccine is working properly and is stimulating one's immune system. Severe side effects are very rare and are noted in only 0.1% of people who are vaccinated.

9. MYTH: There is not need for vaccination if a person has already suffered from COVID-19.

FACT: Due to the severe health risk associated with COVID-19 and the fact that re-infection is possible, one is advised to get a COVID-19 vaccine even if they have been sick with COVID-19 before.

Some early evidence recommends that natural immunity that is acquired due to the Coronavirus, may not last for extended periods (though studies are still ongoing). Moreover, most experts believe that vaccines provide better protection against the Coronavirus as compared to one's natural immunity. Thus, Covid vaccination is recommended worldwide for every individual.

✏️: @khwaish_mohindru & @tarini_puri

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