Eleven myths about the COVID-19 vaccine

Rumors and misinformation filled social media after the FDA approved the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. Worrying components, infertility risks, and genetic alterations were among the most spread versions on the Internet. None of them is real, and we tell you the reasons why.

1.- The messenger RNA of the vaccine produces genetic alterations.
Vaccines with messenger RNA are a new type of development. They do not alter our DNA or interact with it but teach our body how to create a protein that activates an immune response in our system, generating antibodies.

2.- The vaccine produces infertility
Social media has been spread that the immune response developed with the vaccine attacks the protein involved in the placenta formation. This information is false. People who have been infected and develop antibodies following this theory should also suffer from fertility problems. There is no evidence of any kind in this regard.

3.- The vaccine is made with fetal cells.
FDA-approved vaccines developed by Pfizer and Moderna are not made from fetal tissue.

4.- You cannot get the vaccine if you are allergic to eggs.
Neither eggs nor their derivates are used in the vaccines’ development, so they are perfectly safe for people with these allergies. Neither condoms nor latex was used.

5.- One dose is enough
Two doses of the vaccine are always needed. The first one allows the immune system to recognize the virus, while the second strengthens the body’s immune response.

6.- After receiving the vaccine, the result of a viral test will be positive.
None of the vaccines approved in the United States contains the live virus that causes COVID-19, so a positive result in a viral test is not possible.

7.- It is not necessary to be vaccinated if you have already had COVID-19.
There are some risks associated with being re-infected with COVID-19, so vaccination is necessary. Natural immunity and induced immunity are both essential and continue to be studied by experts.

8.- There are no official sites with reliable information about the vaccine.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have information. On the WHO website, you can find a documentary series with 27 chapters of five minutes each.

9.- The COVID-19 vaccine can give you the disease.
None of the vaccines contains a live strain of COVID-19, so you can’t get the disease from vaccination.

10.- Vaccine development was rushed and unsafe
Vaccine development is not usually fast, as problems of financing and paperwork must be dealt with. This causes the testing phases to take a longer time. Due to the pandemic, these obstacles have been eliminated so that all testing can be done more quickly but always following rigorous processes controlled by professionals. No step has been omitted in the safe development of the vaccine.

11. Covid-19 vaccine causes a severe side effect
All vaccines generate an immune response in the body, which can cause mild side effects, which resolve in days. People with allergic reactions should inform the medical staff so that the best option can be discussed. On the other hand, severe reactions develop within the first 15 minutes after application, so patients will always be asked to wait for 15 minutes at the health center for their safety.

You can also find more trusted local services in your community at http://boyleheightsresources.org/or download the Boyle Heights Resources app.