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COVID-19 VACCINE MYTHS AND MISCONCEPTIONS
Even with the great news that the number of COVID-19 cases and deaths across the country are declining, vaccine myths are perpetuating on the internet and are preventing some from choosing to get vaccinated. It’s important you know what information your patients are being exposed to.
“UNC is taking an active role in trying to educate our community about these myths and misconceptions,” says David J. Weber, MD, MPH, FIDSA, FSHEA, FRSM Associate Chief Medical Officer, UNC Medical Center; Medical Director, Department of Infection Prevention, UNC Medical Center. “This includes providing a question and answer sheet that we update weekly on our website. We have done many town halls not just for our students but across the larger community for other groups such as superintendents for public schools, correctional officers and I participated in a general town hall meeting with Congressman David Price. In addition, over the last month we have worked separately with disadvantaged groups to ensure they have fair and equitable access to not only vaccines but healthcare.”
Even with all this effort people have expressed doubts about vaccination because of vaccine misinformation. Anti-vaxers have created rumors and conspiracy theories about the vaccine, from it causing sterility to it being able to track people. “We have more information at our fingertips than ever before in human history, but that means we have more access to nonsense information,” said Dr. David Wohl, UNC Health infectious disease expert. As misinformation about the vaccine looms, we want to separate fact from fiction.
1. An mRNA vaccine does not alter genetic code One of the biggest misconceptions about the mRNA vaccine, the technology used in the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines (as well as the forthcoming Johnson and Johnson and AstraZeneca vaccines) is that it changes people’s DNA. This is completely false—and a misunderstanding of the science behind the vaccine’s efficacy.
“mRNA vaccines do not alter a person’s DNA,” Wohl said. “mRNA is used by the body to send a quick message instructing the cell to make proteins. By design mRNA is degraded quickly by the cell, otherwise the cell would keep making the protein even when no longer needed. The concerns about the long-term effectiveness of these vaccines speaks to the transient nature of mRNA.”
2. The COVID-19 vaccine does not cause sterility or infertility Alarming headlines flooded social media in early December about the COVID-19 vaccine causing sterility. The New York Times reported that the infertility rumors originated from an article published by a blog called Health and Money News. The Health and Money News blog falsely claimed that the Pfizer vaccine contained ingredients that could train the female body to attack a protein that aids in the development of the placenta.
3. The vaccine does not track you Rumors have been spreading for months that the vaccine would insert microchips with the intention of tracking people. But that is absolutely false.
The concerns date from a May 2020 interview with Jay Walker, an executive chairman of Apiject, a pre-filled syringe maker company. During the interview, Walker was asked about the company’s Radio Frequency Identification Chip (RFID). Walker said that the chip works like a bar code and is part of the syringe’s label, not the injectable substance as reported by Reuters. The bar code does not store any personal information— rather, it’s meant to assure the healthcare provider administering the vaccine that it’s authentic and has not expired.
4. Immunity to COVID-19 does not come immediately after taking the vaccine In clinical trials of the Moderna and Pfizer/BioNtech vaccines, people who got the vaccines and not placebo started to be protected from COVID-19 about 10 days after the first shot. This shows that the immune system was already responding. A second shot likely helps further stimulate the immune system and may help the response last longer. To be on the safe side, people are recommended to consider themselves fully vaccinated 2 weeks after receiving the second shot.
5. Getting the COVID-19 vaccine means you won’t have to wear a mask or take precautions The vaccines help prevent you from contracting the virus. However, there is not enough data to know if individuals can still get infected and be infectious. This is why it is still recommended to wear masks and follow safety protocols so as not to get others sick.
6. Taking OTC pain medications before getting the COVID-19 vaccine may impact immune response As with many vaccines, mild side effects such as soreness at the injection site and headaches are common with the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines. To manage these discomforts, some people (including experts) have recommended taking over-the-counter pain medications such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen immediately before vaccination. However, experts disagree on whether taking these meds right before getting a vaccine can potentially interfere with its efficacy: “It is not completely clear whether taking medications like ibuprofen or acetaminophen have any impact on the immune system’s response to vaccination,“ explains Dr. Wohl. “While it is unlikely these medications would have a major impact, it is not recommended for people to take these medicines before or after a vaccination unless necessary.”
The CDC.gov site provides helpful tips on this topic. “If you have pain or discomfort, talk to your doctor about taking overthe-counter medicine, such as ibuprofen, aspirin, antihistamines, or acetaminophen, for any pain and discomfort you may experience after getting vaccinated. You can take these medications to relieve post-vaccination side effects if you have no other medical reasons that prevent you from taking these medications normally. It is not recommended you take these medicines before vaccination for the purpose of trying to prevent side effects, because it is not known how these medications may impact how well the vaccine works.”
