VACCINE MYTHS: THE COVID-19 EDITION (PART TWO)
Last May, we covered some of the myths about a COVID-19 vaccine — but at that time, there wasn’t a vaccine yet. The science and medical communities have learned a great deal about the novel coronavirus in the last nine months and we currently have two vaccines authorized for use in the United States — a Pfizer vaccine and a Moderna vaccine.
Visit the CDC website to learn how the COVID-19 vaccines work. In short, these vaccines use a messenger RNA to trigger an immune response in the body without introducing a weakened virus. This means you are not infected with COVID-19 when you receive the vaccine. Vaccines are given in two doses, about 3-4 weeks apart.
Let’s look at some other claims:
The claim: If you have already had COVID-19, you do not need to get the vaccine.
The facts: Even if you have already had COVID-19, the CDC recommends that you receive the vaccine. There is currently not enough known about COVID-19 reinfection and some early evidence suggests that your body’s natural immunity may not last very long, so it is safer to receive the vaccine to strengthen your immunity.
The claim: People who receive the COVID-19 vaccine will shed the virus to people who have not received the vaccine.
The facts: None of the authorized or in-development COVID-19 vaccines in the United States contain the live virus that causes COVID. This means that the vaccine does not make you sick with COVID and you do not shed COVID to others.
The claim: The COVID-19 vaccine might have long-term negative health consequences because it’s so new and no one knows its long-term effects yet.
The facts: Vaccines do not linger in your body long-term. When you receive a vaccine, its job is to teach your body to recognize something (e.g., a virus) and mount an immune response to it. Then your immune system takes over from there. Any side effects from the vaccine (chills, aches) would show up within the first few hours or days after receiving the vaccine, not long-term. This explainer video from a PhD scientist with training in immunology and pharmaceutical science provides a helpful overview of how your body responds to the COVID-19 vaccine.
The claim: Pregnant or lactating people should not get the vaccine.
The facts: Talk to your doctor to discuss what is right for you. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends that COVID-19 vaccines should not be withheld from pregnant individuals who meet criteria for vaccination based on priority groups..
The claim: Once you get your second dose of the vaccine, you can return to “normal” life — no masks, no social distancing, etc.
The facts: Your risks of contracting COVID-19 are significantly reduced after receiving both doses of the vaccine. You can likely be more relaxed in settings in which others have also received both doses. But you should continue to wear a mask and maintain social distances in public until community spread of COVID-19 is greatly reduced. The goal is to reach community immunity — this will take time.
Learn more:
Johns Hopkins: Coronavirus Research Center
