Coronavirus: Myths about COVID-19 vaccines have been disproved
By Dr. Zulfikar Bux
Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine, Vanderbilt Medical Center
Kaieteur News – Guyana, like the rest of the world, has begun vaccinating its population against COVID-19. Unfortunately, there are a lot of rumors spread, especially on social media, about the COVID-19 vaccines. This creates too many vaccine skeptics and puts us all at risk of being stuck in the pandemic for longer than we should have. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), between 2010 and 2015, vaccines prevented an estimated 10 million deaths. Scientists have worked tirelessly to create safe and effective vaccines to protect us from COVID-19. Some people called “anti-vaxxers,” dedicate their entire lives to rails against vaccines and are largely behind the many myths circulating about COVID-19 vaccines. Today, I’ll share some common myths that are circulating about COVID-19 vaccines, so you can be properly informed and help dispel these myths.
Myth: the side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine are dangerous.
Although the COVID-19 vaccine can have side effects, the vast majority are very short-term and are not serious or dangerous. Some people experience pain where they are injected; body aches; headache or fever, lasting a day or two. These are signs that the vaccine is working to stimulate your immune system. If you have allergies, especially severe ones that require hospitalization, discuss the COVID-19 vaccine with your doctor, who can assess your risk and provide more information about whether you can how to be vaccinated safely and how. I was vaccinated just over a week ago and I am living proof — like the many health workers who have also been vaccinated, that the vaccines are not dangerous.
Myth: the Vaccine will change my DNA
These vaccines were designed using the virus RNA and DNA to create similar structures in the vaccines. These structures cannot alter our DNA in any shape or form. When our body detects them after vaccination, it produces antibodies that can be stored and used to effectively fight the SarsCov2 virus if we come into contact with it. It does not interact directly with our DNA in any way.
Myth: You can get COVID-19 from the vaccines
The COVID-19 vaccines cannot give COVID-19 to an individual. Regardless of the type of vaccine, none contain the live SarsCov2 virus. Any side effects, such as headache or cold, are due to the immune response and not infection.
Myth: The vaccine contains a microchip
According to some, the vaccines were designed with a microchip inside and will allow shadow elites to track our every move. In fact, our mobile phones already complete that task effortlessly. There is no evidence that any of the COVID-19 vaccines contain a microchip, especially as all vaccines would have undergone rigorous testing and analysis by many different international regulatory bodies.
Myth: COVID-19 vaccines can make you infertile
There is no evidence that the COVID-19 vaccines affect fertility. Similarly, there is no evidence that they will endanger pregnancy in the future. This rumor began because of a link between the spike protein coded by the mRNA-based vaccines and a protein called syncytin-1. Syncytin-1 is essential for the placenta to remain attached to the womb during pregnancy. However, although the spike protein shares a few amino acids in common with syncytin-1, they are not even nearly similar enough to confuse the immune system and cause abortions.
Myth: You should not take the vaccine if you are breastfeeding
You and your breastfeeding baby need protection against COVID-19 like everyone else. You cannot get COVID-19, or give your baby COVID-19, by being vaccinated. The components of the vaccine are not known to harm breastfeeding babies. When you receive the vaccine, the small vaccine particles are used by your muscle cells at the injection site and are therefore unlikely to enter breast milk. When a person is vaccinated during breastfeeding, their immune system develops antibodies that protect against COVID-19. These antibodies can be transmitted through breast milk to the baby. Newborns of vaccinated breastfeeding mothers can benefit from these antibodies against COVID-19.
Myth: I don’t need a vaccine because COVID-19 has a high survival rate
Although the COVID-19 survival rate is high, the death rate is higher in the older population and those with other chronic illnesses. These people rely on others who are less at risk of getting vaccinated, so that the illness cannot spread to them. We all have loved ones in the high risk group and we need to look for them and be vaccinated. Also, while the death rate is not high, the long-term effects of COVID-19 are devastating for many who would have been infected. It ranges from damage to the lungs, kidneys and liver to a number of issues related to damage to the nervous system. Those with damage to the nervous system tend to be scared, depressed, lethargic and have nightmares for no apparent reason.
COVID-19 can only go away if we are all vaccinated. Otherwise, we are stuck in this pandemic and many more lives will be lost and negatively affected. Spread the word on the real facts of the COVID-19 vaccine and help dispel the myths; you will save lives by doing this. (This article was first published on February 21, 2021)