COVID-19 Vaccine Facts and Myths

It’s hard for us to describe in words how much this global pandemic has affected the world. The Covid-19 pandemic has impacted people’s livelihood, health, and millions have become victims of this pandemic. Yes, we have successfully developed vaccines to protect ourselves against the virus. But much confusion prevails regarding Covid vaccine facts and myths. 

This write-up will present you with facts about the covid vaccine and bust all the covid vaccine myths once. 

Before we get on with this, we just want to say if you feel you have Covid-19 symptoms, book an RT PCR test NOW!

Covid Vaccine Facts and Myths

1. Myths: The vaccine can damage women’s fertility. 

Fact about covid vaccine: The COVID-19 vaccine won’t affect the fertility of a woman. It makes our body create copies of the spike protein located on the coronavirus’s surface. This helps our body’s immune system fight the virus with a particular spike protein on it.

However, confusion clouded people’s minds when a false claim surfaced on social media. It falsely claimed that the spike protein on this coronavirus has another protein called syncytin-1. This protein stays in the growth and attachment of the placenta if a woman is pregnant. The false claim also stated that the COVID-19 vaccine would make a woman’s body fight this different protein and, in this process, affect her fertility. 

The truth is, these two spike proteins are entirely different. Getting the COVID-19 vaccine will not affect women’s fertility. In fact, studies have shown that vaccinated pregnant women may pass the COVID-19 antibodies on to their babies. Another research shows pregnant women can pass antibodies to their babies while breastfeeding six weeks after the vaccination. 

On the other hand, if a woman gets Covid-19 during the pregnancy, it can impact her health. One can find more in-depth insights from the review done by Johns Hopkins Medicine. Women should approach their health providers and talk about the questions they have about COVID-19 and pregnancy. 

2. Myth: If one already has COVID-19, then there is no need for a vaccine. 

Fact: We could say this covid vaccine myth is the silliest one among the covid vaccine facts and myths topics. People who were sick with COVID-19 can get the benefit from the Covid-19 vaccine. In fact, in some people, COVID-19 can cause severe health risks. They can even be reinfected People should receive the vaccine even if they were sick with COVID-19 before.

Currently, we don’t have enough information to claim how long people will stay safe from getting COVID-19 even if they have natural immunity. A study suggests natural immunity from COVID-19 can last for five months, but we need more studies to understand this better. 

To be on the safer side, right now, we know the vaccine provides better protection for coronavirus.

3. Myths: Researchers have rushed the vaccine development, so it’s not safe and effective. 

Fact: Research has shown that the first two vaccines are about 95% effective with no severe or life-threatening side effects. Multiple reasons have led to the faster development of the COVID-19 vaccines.

The following are some of them:

• Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines have been made with a method in development for almost two decades. The companies were able to start the vaccine development process early in the pandemic.
• China shared genetic information about COVID-19 promptly that helped scientists working on vaccines faster.
• The vaccine developers didn’t avoid any testing steps but conducted an overlapping schedule to collect data quickly.
• Vaccine projects received more than enough resources because governments invested in research and paid for vaccines in advance.
• Some COVID-19 vaccines have messenger RNA mRNA, allowing a faster approach than the usual method.
• Social media helped companies get volunteers. Many came forward to help with COVID-19 vaccine research.
• Since COVID-19 is so contagious and widespread, it didn’t take long to notice if the vaccine worked for the study volunteers.
• Companies started making vaccines even before the Food and Drug Administration’s authorization. Some supplies were ready when approval took place.

4. Myths about covid vaccine: If you take the COVID-19 vaccine, you can stop wearing a mask or taking any precautions. 

Fact: In May 2021, the CDC or Centers of Diseases Control and Prevention revised safety guidelines for fully vaccinated people against the coronavirus. These updated guidelines mentioned that vaccinated people could carry on their activities without wearing masks or following social distancing. However, they still have to follow all the laws by the government on local businesses and workplaces.

The CDC recommends masks and physical distancing must be followed when visiting the doctor, hospitals, and healthcare facilities.

5. Myth: COVID-19 vaccine will infect you with COVID-19. 

Fact: The vaccine development for COVID-19 ensures protection against the COVID-19 virus. The two authorized mRNA vaccines allow your cells to spike protein that is part of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. It fortifies your body to fight the virus if it comes along. The COVID-19 vaccine contains no SARS-Co-2 virus so that you won’t get COVID-19 from the vaccine.

6. Covid vaccine myths: The side effects of the vaccine are hazardous to your body.  

Facts about Pfizer covid vaccine: The Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines can cause some side effects. However, they last for a very short-term, nothing serious or dangerous. The vaccine developers have reported that some people can experience pain on the injected part, body aches, headaches, or fever for a day or two. These signs of the vaccine take place in your to trigger an immune response. If symptoms stay for more than two days, you should go to a doctor.

If you get allergies, discuss the COVID-19 vaccine with your doctor. It would be best to let the doctor assess your health risk and provide you with more information.

7. Myth: The COVID-19 vaccine can damage your cells and change your DNA. 

Fact: The COVID-19 vaccines fortify your body’s immune system to fight the COVID-19 virus. The messenger RNA mRNA from two of the COVID-19 vaccines does enter cells, but not the nuclei of the cells. The mRNA enables the cell to make protein to stimulate your immune system, and then it breaks down without changing or damaging your DNA.

8. Covid 19 vaccine myths: The messenger RNA technology makes the COVID-19 vaccine brand new. 

FACT: The mRNA technology has been in development for almost twenty years. Vaccine makers have created this technology to respond to new pandemic illnesses like COVID-19 quickly.

9. Myth: The COVID-19 vaccine consists of controversial substances. 

Interesting facts about Covid-19 vaccine: The first two COVID-19 vaccines have been authorized by the Food and Drug Administration. These contain mRNA and normal vaccine ingredients, such as fats that protect the mRNA, salts, and a small amount of sugar. These COVID-19 vaccines don’t have fetal tissue or material like implants, tracking devices, or microchips.

10. Myth: We have developed a vaccine for COVID-19, now it’s easy to make vaccines for HIV, common cold, and other diseases. 

Fact: Thousands of viruses are responsible for various diseases, and they may be different from each other. Many mutate year by year, making it very challenging to develop a vaccine that works 100% and for a long time.

Creating vaccines for disease-causing viruses is not at all easy. For example, HIV can hide and make itself undetectable to the human immune system, making it challenging to create a vaccine. The common cold affects a person because of hundreds of different viruses. A vaccine would be ineffective for just one of them.

11. Myth: COVID-19 vaccines need to be put in extremely low temperatures because of preservatives. 

Fact: This is one of the common questions among Covid vaccine facts and myths. Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna have stated their vaccines consist of no preservatives.

Of course, different vaccines have specific storage requirements. For instance, a health professional has to store the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine at minus 94 degrees Fahrenheit or 70 degrees Celsius. Moderna stores its vaccines at minus 4 degrees Fahrenheit or minus 20 degrees Celsius. 

These vaccines use messenger RNA mRNA to allow your cells to produce a protein that will trigger an immune response to COVID-19 infections. Messenger RNA is delicate and can break apart easily. Therefore, storing messenger RNA vaccines in an ultracold environment keeps them safe and stable.

12. Covid-19 vaccine myths: The COVID-19 vaccine development is a ploy to control the general population. Two methods to do it: one is microchip tracking or fitting “nano transducers” in our brains 

Fact: There is no proof of vaccine microchip, or the vaccine will track people or gather personal information into some database. These are one of the Covid vaccine myths that surfaced on the internet. It started with a comment posted by Bill Gates about a digital certificate of vaccine records. The truth is, the technology he was talking about was not about the microchip. It has not been implemented in any way or tied to the testing or distribution of COVID-19 vaccines.

13. Myth: People will die due to the negative side effect of the COVID-19 vaccine. 

Covid 19 vaccine facts: This misinformation is one of the most popular Covid vaccine facts and myths. It often appears on social media that COVID-19’s mortality rate is 1% to 2% and that people should avoid vaccination against a virus with a high survival rate. However, the truth is, a 1% mortality rate is ten times more fatal than the seasonal flu. In addition, age, sex, and underlying health condition affect the mortality rate a great deal. 

Of course, some people who receive the vaccine may develop specific symptoms as their immune system responds. It is very common when a person receives any vaccine and is not at all life-threatening. One will not get COVID-19 infection from the vaccines.

Also, it’s essential to understand that getting the vaccine is not just about protecting oneself against COVID-19. It’s about putting a stop to spreading the virus to others and preventing infection that can result in long-term health effects. 

For sure, no vaccine is 100% effective. However, it is far better than doubting its effectiveness. The benefits will outweigh the risks in healthy people.

Kindly share this blog about Covid vaccine facts and myths with your family and friends. 

Conclusion  

We still have to win our battle against the Covid-19 pandemic. Many people are struggling to make their ends meet. Although we can’t help everyone struggling due to this pandemic, we can do our bit. 

In this dire situation, we have to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe. You can share facts about Covid 19 for kids to make them aware of this situation. The safety is not just the Covid-19 virus, but misinformation and myths about Covid vaccine. Let us show support to scientists and doctors who are working tirelessly for society.