For months now, we have all been eagerly awaiting the release of a vaccine for COVID-19. It has been in the works since the news of the pandemic broke out and scientists and researchers have dedicated all of their time to trying to produce a viable vaccine. However, after several failed attempts and many rounds of research, many major drug companies have finally created a vaccine that can help us gain immunity against the vaccine.
While this is great news and is something to be celebrated, there are many people that are vehemently opposed to the vaccine and have been spreading false information about the vaccine. Many of these are myths that have already been disproven by the CDC, however, it doesn’t stop people from speculating and continuing to spread this false information. Here at Health Fitness Revolution, we aim to only educate our readers and so we will do just that!
Here are the 5 top myths and facts about the COVID-19 vaccine:
Myth #1: Getting The Vaccine Will Give You Coronavirus
Many people think that the vaccine will give you the virus, however, like all other vaccines, you might exhibit the signs and symptoms as well as develop a slight fever as a result of the vaccine, however, you will not get the virus from the vaccine. Not to mention, the vaccine does not use a live version of the vaccine; this makes it hard for people to get the virus from the vaccine. The vaccines that are being made are meant to teach our immune systems to recognize and detect the virus as well as adequately fight the virus. Having a fever after getting any vaccine is a great sign because it lets us know that your body is indeed fighting the virus as well as succeeding.
However, if a person were to get the vaccine and then test positive for COVID-19, it does not mean that they got it from the virus. They could’ve contracted the virus prior to getting the vaccine or even right after getting the vaccine. Because it takes a couple of days to a week for the vaccine to begin working, it is possible that it would not have been fast enough to fight the virus that you had already contracted.
Myth #2: Getting the Vaccine Will Cause You to Test Positive on a COVID-19 Viral Test
Again, as mentioned earlier, none of the vaccines in production or distribution utilize a live version of the virus. Therefore, you cannot test positive on a COVID-19 viral test. However, if you get tested after receiving the vaccine and test positive on an antibody test, then that means that the vaccine worked. Antibody tests are used to tell us if you previously had the virus and if you now have sufficient antibodies within your body to fight future COVID-19 infections. Testing positive on an antibody test after receiving the vaccine is a great sign!
Myth #3: If You Had COVID-19, You Do Not Need to Receive the Vaccine
Even if you had COVID-19 at some point during the pandemic, it is still beneficial to receive the vaccine. This is because the multiple variations of the virus only have a 3-month immunization rate. This means that 3 months after you tested negative after having contracted the virus, you can get the virus again. Not to mention, we don’t know the long-term effects that getting the virus more than once can do to a person. Therefore, it is smart to go ahead and get the vaccine; just to be safe.
Myth #4: The mRNA in The Vaccine Will Alter Your DNA
This is not true at all! The mRNA, or messenger ribonucleic acid, is the code or set of instructions for making proteins. mRNA cannot alter the DNA which is our genetic makeup because it cannot even enter the cell’s nucleus, which is where the DNA can be found. Therefore, the mRNA from the vaccine does not even interact with the DNA in our cells.
The way it works is that the mRNA from the vaccine works to give instructions to our cells to make a harmless piece of the “spike” protein. This “spike” protein is what is found on the surface of all COVID-19 cells and causes the virus. By making this harmless piece of the “spike” protein, our cells are creating a defense system that can help our immune systems to effectively fight off the virus once it enters our bodies.
Myth #5: The Vaccine Will 100% Keep You From Contracting COVID-19
While we would like to believe that the vaccine will keep us from ever getting the virus or keep us from getting severely hurt from the virus, there is no guarantee that it will do that. While it is 90%+ effective, each person’s body is different and therefore will react differently to both the virus as well as the vaccine. There is no way to know how your body will react to the vaccine. Of course, there are theories that let us know that people with already compromised immune systems, the elderly, as well as the extremely young, are at the most vulnerable. But, there have been some cases of people that fall into the aforementioned categories beating the virus as well as remaining healthy afterward with little to no remaining complications. However, within that same context, there have been people such as children and young adults (people that are supposed to be at the least risk for contracting the virus) having terrible complications after beating the virus or even dying. Therefore, there is no guarantee, however, there is a greater risk of contracting the virus without the vaccine.
