What You Need to Know About COVID Vaccines: Fact vs. Fiction

Co-authored by The Verified Initiative of the United Nations

Last Updated: October 31, 2022 References

You may have heard a lot of different things about the new COVID-19 vaccines—some good, some questionable. For many, the vaccines are a brilliant medical breakthrough that will help pull us out of the pandemic, but there’s also a bunch of misinformation about them. With so much information being shared online, it can be tough to figure out what’s true and what isn’t. We’ve put together a list of some common myths floating around out there about the vaccines, so you can separate fact from fiction.

1

Myth: The COVID vaccines were rushed.

Fact: Years of prior research helped speed up the process. The remarkable speed of the COVID-19 vaccine development isn’t magic or a miracle. It’s the result of years and years of hard work and previous research on other viruses, including coronaviruses such as SARS and MERS. Using the prior research, scientists were able to quickly come up with effective and safe vaccines.^{[1]
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Research source}
- Both the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna vaccines use the same mRNA technology, but they have minor differences.^{[2]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services
  Go to source} For instance, the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine is approved for people aged 16 and older, is 95% effective at preventing COVID-19 infection, and requires 2 shots delivered 21 days apart. The Moderna vaccine is approved for people aged 18 and older, is 94.1% effective, and requires 2 shots delivered 28 days apart.^{[3]
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2

Myth: The vaccines weren’t properly tested.

Fact: All vaccines have to adhere to strict safety standards. The Federal Drug Administration (FDA) sets rigorous safety and efficacy guidelines for all vaccines, including the ones for COVID-19. A new vaccine has to go through phases of testing and trials where it’s given to a group of people who are then studied to make sure it’s effective and safe.^{[4]
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Trustworthy Source
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services
Go to source} Every COVID vaccine that has been approved has met these standards and are considered safe and effective.^{[5]
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- During the trials, negative side effects are also studied. The FDA won’t approve a vaccine that isn’t safe for the public.^{[6]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services
  Go to source}

3

Myth: You can get COVID-19 from the vaccines.

Fact: The approved vaccines do not contain any live virus in them. Every approved COVID-19 vaccine is an mRNA vaccine. These types of vaccines work by teaching your body to recognize specific proteins on the surface of COVID-19, so your immune system is able to fight off the virus. They don’t actually have the coronavirus in them, so there isn’t a chance the vaccine could ever give you the virus.^{[7]
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Trustworthy Source
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services
Go to source}
- Some vaccines for other diseases, such as measles, mumps, and rubella, do use a weakened or dead strain of the live virus;^{[8]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  MedlinePlus
  Collection of medical information sourced from the US National Library of Medicine
  Go to source} none of the current COVID-19 vaccines do.

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4

Myth: The COVID vaccine affects fertility.

Fact: The COVID-19 vaccine doesn’t affect fertility at all. The mRNA COVID-19 vaccines essentially teach your body’s immune system how to fight off the virus. But it doesn’t affect the fertility of women.^{[9]
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Trustworthy Source
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services
Go to source}
- In fact, during the Pfizer vaccine trials, 23 women volunteers became pregnant. Only one woman suffered a pregnancy loss, but she was actually given the placebo, which means she hadn’t received the COVID-19 vaccine.^{[10]
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  Johns Hopkins Medicine
  Official resource database of the world-leading Johns Hopkins Hospital
  Go to source}

5

Myth: If you’ve had COVID-19, you don’t need a vaccine.

Fact: You can get re-infected with COVID-19. The truth is that people who have gotten sick with the virus can really still benefit from getting the vaccine. It can help prevent potential reinfection, and while you may be protected from getting the virus again for a time, there isn’t enough available evidence to know how long that will be.^{[11]
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Trustworthy Source
Johns Hopkins Medicine
Official resource database of the world-leading Johns Hopkins Hospital
Go to source}
- Scientists won’t know exactly how immunity produced by the vaccine lasts until we have more data and info about it.^{[12]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services
  Go to source}

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6

Myth: The mRNA vaccines change your DNA.

Fact: mRNA never interacts with your DNA. Messenger ribonucleic acid, a.k.a. mRNA, is basically a set of instructions that tells your immune system to recognize “spike proteins” that exist on the surface of COVID-19, so your body can fight any that it finds. The mRNA never enters the nucleus of your body’s cells, which is where DNA is stored. Because they never actually interact with one another, there’s no way the mRNA could change your DNA.^{[13]
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Trustworthy Source
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services
Go to source}

7

Myth: The COVID-19 vaccines cause severe side effects.

Fact: Most side effects are very mild. Some people can have side effects that are similar to other vaccines such as muscle pain, chills, and a headache.^{[14]
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Trustworthy Source
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services
Go to source} These are actually normal signs that your body is building up protection, and they should go away within a few days.^{[15]
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Trustworthy Source
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services
Go to source} Although it’s extremely rare, some people can have allergic reactions to ingredients used in a vaccine. If you have a history of severe allergic reactions, such as anaphylaxis, talk to your doctor. They may recommend that you not get the vaccine.
- Though scientists aren’t exactly sure, an allergic reaction may be caused by the vaccine antigen, residual animal protein, antimicrobial agents, preservatives, stabilizers, or other vaccine components.^{[16]
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8

Myth: The vaccines cause autism in children.

Fact: There is no evidence that any vaccines cause autism. This myth has been associated with other vaccines as well, such as the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine.^{[17]
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Trustworthy Source
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services
Go to source} It stems from a discredited study that incorrectly linked vaccines to autism in children. There is zero evidence that the COVID-19 vaccines cause autism in children or adults.^{[18]
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9

Myth: The virus has mutated and vaccines won’t work.

Fact: There’s no evidence that available vaccines won’t work. While it’s true that there are new strains of coronavirus that are spreading quickly and may be more contagious, there isn’t any convincing data that suggests that currently available vaccines will be ineffective. Viruses often mutate, and the current vaccines appear to be effective against the new strains.^{[19]
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Trustworthy Source
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services
Go to source}
- While current vaccines may be effective against the new strains of the virus, vaccine manufacturers are looking into creating a booster shot that will help protect against them even more.^{[20]
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  Trustworthy Source
  Mayo Clinic
  Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
  Go to source}

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10

Myth: Natural immunity is stronger than the vaccine.

Fact: Immunity from the vaccine is probably stronger than natural immunity. Not only is immunity from the vaccine safer and less risky than actually getting the virus, but it may also be even more effective. Research suggests that because you get 2 doses of the vaccine, you’ll likely be immune for a longer period of time than you would after contracting and recovering from the virus. Your best option is to get the vaccine, not the virus!^{[21]
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Research source}
- More research is needed to figure out how long immunity from a vaccine lasts. Current evidence suggests that immunity from the virus itself only lasts about 90 days.^{[22]
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  Trustworthy Source
  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services
  Go to source}

Expert Q&A
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Question

Where can I find reliable information about COVID-19?

David Nazarian, MD
Diplomate, American Board of Internal Medicine
Dr. David Nazarian is a board certified Internal Medicine Physician and the Owner of My Concierge MD, a medical practice in Beverly Hills California, specializing in concierge medicine, executive health and integrative medicine. Dr. Nazarian specializes in comprehensive physical examinations, IV Vitamin therapies, hormone replacement therapy, weight loss, platelet rich plasma therapies. He has over 16 years of medical training and facilitation and is a Diplomate of the American Board of Internal Medicine. He completed his B.S. in Psychology and Biology from the University of California, Los Angeles, his M.D. from the Sackler School of Medicine, and a residency at Huntington Memorial Hospital, an affiliate of the University of Southern California.

David Nazarian, MD

Diplomate, American Board of Internal Medicine

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

There's a lot of information across the web, and at times, some of this information can be unreliable. Fortunately, there are a lot of good sites set up to provide reliable information to the public. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is a great site to obtain information about COVID-19 and how to protect yourself. Your local Department of Public Health can also be a valuable source of information, as well as the World Health Organization website.
Question

How can an essential worker stay safe if they haven't gotten a vaccine?

David Nazarian, MD
Diplomate, American Board of Internal Medicine
Dr. David Nazarian is a board certified Internal Medicine Physician and the Owner of My Concierge MD, a medical practice in Beverly Hills California, specializing in concierge medicine, executive health and integrative medicine. Dr. Nazarian specializes in comprehensive physical examinations, IV Vitamin therapies, hormone replacement therapy, weight loss, platelet rich plasma therapies. He has over 16 years of medical training and facilitation and is a Diplomate of the American Board of Internal Medicine. He completed his B.S. in Psychology and Biology from the University of California, Los Angeles, his M.D. from the Sackler School of Medicine, and a residency at Huntington Memorial Hospital, an affiliate of the University of Southern California.

David Nazarian, MD

Diplomate, American Board of Internal Medicine

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

If you're an essential worker that is in close contact with patients or the public, you should protect yourself with PPE or proper protective gear. You should also practice social distancing when possible, wash your hands frequently, and avoid touching your face with your hands.

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Warnings

Always verify the source of information before you share it on places such as social media to help prevent the spread of misinformation.

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References

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About This Article

Co-authored by:

The Verified Initiative of the United Nations

COVID-19 Information Resource

This article was co-authored by The Verified Initiative of the United Nations. Verified is an initiative of the United Nations, to provide content that cuts through the noise to deliver life-saving information, fact-based advice and stories from the best of humanity. Led by the UN Department for Global Communications, the initiative also invites the public to help counter the spread of COVID-19 misinformation by sharing UN-verified, science-based content with their communities through articles, videos, and associated media. The initiative is a collaboration with Purpose, one of the world’s leading social mobilization organizations, and supported by the IKEA Foundation and Luminate. This article has been viewed 54,076 times.

4 votes - 55%

Co-authors: 27

Updated: October 31, 2022

Views: 54,076

Categories: COVID 19

Medical Disclaimer

The content of this article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, examination, diagnosis, or treatment. You should always contact your doctor or other qualified healthcare professional before starting, changing, or stopping any kind of health treatment.

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