Myths and Facts about COVID-19 Vaccines

Aug 26, 2021

Myths and Facts about COVID-19 Vaccines

Everybody has the responsibility to provide correct and accurate information.

In this modern era, it is crucial to question sources of information. Reliable sources for health-related topics include the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and World Health Organization (WHO). Other useful references for people with scientific knowledge or curiosity include The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) and The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM).

COVID-19 is today's hottest topic. Incorrect information or myths about COVID-19 are common. Below are examples of myths about COVID-19 vaccines.

Myth #1: Receiving a COVID-19 vaccine will cause my body to become magnetic.

False, receiving a vaccine against COVID-19 will not cause you to become magnetic. COVID-19 vaccines are metal-free. After reports of people putting metal objects on their skin after getting the vaccine, this myth arises from social media.

Myth #2: COVID-19 vaccines cause infertility.

False, there is no evidence that COVID-19 or any other vaccine causes infertility. This myth arose from social media when people stated that mRNA vaccines target the same spike protein in placental development.

Myth #3: COVID-19 vaccines track people with a microchip.

False, none of the components of any vaccine are used to track an individual. This myth came from social media when false claims were made against a company. The company has products (syringes) with a microchip used to scan the vaccine's origin, expiration date, etc.

Myth #4: COVID-19 vaccines alter DNA (genetic material).

False, none of the COVID-19 vaccines enter the cell's nucleus (which contains the DNA). These vaccines give instructions to the cell to start producing proteins, later to be recognized by the immune system. This myth arises due to biological processes being complex and easily misunderstood.

Myth #5: Receiving a COVID-19 vaccine will give me COVID-19.

False, none of the COVID-19 vaccines contain the virus. This myth arises from other vaccines that use the virus, which can be inactivated/dead (vaccines like Hepatitis A, flu, polio, and rabies). Other vaccines use the live-attenuated virus (chickenpox, smallpox, measles, mumps, and others).

Myth #6: Receiving a COVID-19 vaccine will cause a positive result on a viral test.

False, none of the COVID-19 vaccines will positively result in the tests used to determine current infection. However, after receiving a vaccine, we develop antibodies. The presence of antibodies will lead to a positive result for an antibody test (used to indicate the previous infection and to test immunity).

Myth #7: If I get COVID-19, I don't need a vaccine.

False, even if you are infected, you can still get re-infected. Evidence suggests a benefit in getting vaccinated after being infected with COVID-19. The body does generate certain immunity after being infected. However, this type of immunity is not long lasting.

Myth #8: The side effects of COVID-19 vaccines are common.

COVID-19 vaccines may cause the following expected side effects: pain in/around the area of injection, body aches, headaches, or fever. These are signs that the vaccine is working to stimulate your immune system and be treated with over-the-counter drugs (acetaminophen). Infrequent and fatal side effects have been reported. For example, the FDA has recently included a warning for Janssen's COVID-19 vaccine about Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS). GBS is a rare disorder in which your body's immune system attacks your nerves. After 12.5 million vaccines have already been administered, only 100 cases have been reported, that's about 0.0008%, with only one mortality. To put things in context, aspirin can cause a severe adverse drug reaction called Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptom (DRESS). This can occur in 0.01 – 0.1% and has a mortality rate of up to 10% among people that develop DRESS.

Myth #9: COVID-19 vaccine research was rushed and cannot be trusted.

False, there are many reasons why the COVID-19 vaccines were developed so fast:

● The technology used for Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna, called mRNA vaccines, was in development since 1990, and this allowed for rapid vaccine development.

● The coronavirus group existed before the 2019 pandemic, and its genetic sequence was already known. A strain of coronavirus was first isolated in humans in 1965, and 3 species cause severe symptoms:

o Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV, 2003)

o The Middle East respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus (MERS-CoV, 2012)

o Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2, 2019)

● China quickly isolated and shared genetic information. Scientists started working on vaccines. These vaccines are approved under emergency use authorization (EUA). They are under constant surveillance. For example, after six reported cases of blood clots related to Janssen's COVID-19 vaccine, the FDA recommended pausing vaccination. After a safety review, the pause was lifted.

● The vaccine developers didn't skip proper testing. Steps were carried out on an overlapping schedule to gather data faster (Operation Warp Speed).

IMPORTANT: If you have questions about COVID-19, seek information from an expert. Do not repeat false information and always be respectful.

References:

1. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/facts.html

2. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/coronavirus/covid-19-vaccines-myth-versus-fact

3. https://www.defense.gov/Explore/Spotlight/Coronavirus/Operation-Warp-Speed/

< Older Post Newer Post >

MC-Rx to Present Abstract at 2024 AMCP Conference, Focusing on Improving Adherence

21 Mar, 2024

MC-Rx, powered by ProCare Rx, has been notified by the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP) of the acceptance of their abstract, “Improving Adherence to HIV PREP via a PBM-Driven Educational Intervention” , for presentation at AMCP 2024 Conference in April.