Top five myths about the COVID-19 vaccine

The COVID-19 vaccination is always a hotly contested topic. I think the local populace simply got their fears from the Dengvaxia brouhaha- which left many dead. That’s why you can’t blame them. But If you have a family member, loved one or friend who’s not convinced he/she needs the vaccine,  don’t force the issue- and simply educate them.

Here are the top five myths about the COVID-19 Vaccine:

1. The COVID vaccine isn’s safe because it was rushed

While rapid development and testing of vaccines isn’t common practice, it doesn’t mean it isn’t safe. Due to the emergency situation, COVID vaccines haven’t been faced with usual delays, like red tape and funding issues. But it’s guaranteed that no safety shortcuts or no regulatory steps were skipped in the  vaccine development.

2. The vaccine affects one’s DNA

The types of vaccine that are licensed for use against Covid-19 do not interact with or alter your human genetic code (DNA). To genetically modify your DNA, you would need to insert a foreign DNA into the nucleus of a human cell and vaccines don’t have the capacity to do that.

3. The vaccine won’t work against new strains.

All viruses mutate, that’s their normal strategy to survive. The ongoing research in vaccine development and efficacy will lead the way in how we manage ongoing immunity against existing and new strains. Early vaccination of the population will drastically cut virus spread and therefore reduce the presence of not only the original strain but also the new variants of that strain.

4: The vaccine causes severe side effects.

All vaccines may cause side effects as they are engineering an immune response within your body. For most the vaccine causes mild side effects, like a sore arm or a slight fever-  like that of the flu vaccine.  Current data  says eleven people in every million (or 0.0011%) will have a moderate to severe reaction to a vaccine.

5. Once vaccinated, you don’t need to observe social distancing or wear a face mask.”

Even when you’ve had your vaccine, it doesn’t mean you can walk around without a mask or start organizing parties. Remember that not all the people around you are vaccinated- and while your vaccine helps protect you from COVID, the un-vaccinated ones may contract the virus from you without you even knowing.