Many myths about the COVID-19 vaccine are currently circulating, but misinformation can be dangerous. Here are some of the most common, plus facts to debunk each of them.

Accurate information is crucial to public health and effective decision-making. There are a lot of common myths about the COVID-19 vaccine, the virus itself, and its treatments. Many people have delayed or avoided getting vaccinated because they’re afraid of potential side effects or fears that it’s just not effective. But is any of it true?

In this post, we will bust myths about the COVID-19 vaccine using information from the most credible sources.

Common myths about the COVID-19 vaccine, debunked

It’s helpful to review common myths when presenting facts about the COVID-19 vaccine . Here are six such myths and why accurate information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) proves them false:

1. You can get sick with COVID-19 after getting the vaccine

A popular misconception is that you can get sick with the virus when you receive the COVID-19 vaccine. This rumor likely came about because some people have symptoms similar to getting sick after they get vaccinated, but this occurs because the vaccines are teaching the immune system how to recognize the virus that causes COVID-19. This is a normal reaction as the body learns to fight off the virus, and isn’t the same as getting COVID-19. Similarly, the vaccine also does not create new COVID-19 variants (which is another common myth). It can instead keep new variants from emerging.

2. COVID-19 vaccines can alter your DNA

The vaccine you receive – whether Moderna, Pfizer, or Johnson & Johnson – will not interact with or alter your DNA. The CDC says that viral vector vaccines help us build protection against the virus by delivering genetic material to the cell nucleus, but the vector virus cannot integrate its genetic material into our DNA. So, nothing can possibly change about our DNA by getting the vaccine.

3. Vaccine ingredients are dangerous

Many people may be hesitant to take the vaccine because they don’t know what’s in it. They also may believe that, because it was produced so quickly, no one really knows how people will react to the ingredients over time. There is nothing dangerous in any of the COVID-19 vaccines, however. In fact, the CDC states that almost all of the ingredients found in the vaccines are what we consume in food products, including sugars, salts, and fats.

The Moderna and Pfizer vaccines include messenger RNA (mRNA) and the Johnson & Johnson shots contain a harmless virus. Both extra ingredients allow the body to create an immune response that protects you from getting sick with COVID-19. The vaccine ingredients are then discarded by the body after that immune response is created. The CDC says that there are no antibiotics, tissues, preservatives, latex, food proteins, or metals in the vaccines.

4. You have more protection after getting COVID-19 than getting a vaccine

It’s true that there are several ways to build immunity to COVID-19. Vaccinated people and those who contract the virus both have some immunity, at least for a time. Some mistakenly believe that it’s better to get sick with the virus than to get vaccinated, though. This is simply not true, and here’s why:

• You never know how severe your COVID-19 case will be.
• Millions of Americans have been hospitalized, and nearly a million have now died from the virus.
• It is not worth trying to build up natural immunity by getting the virus since there is always a risk of a severe reaction.

The COVID-19 vaccine is safer and causes an immune response that is more predictable than getting the virus. A CDC study found that among people who have had COVID-19, those who don’t get vaccinated after they recover are more than two times more likely to get the virus again than people who do get fully vaccinated after they recover.

5. There are microchips in the vaccines

Another rumor that started circulating during the COVID-19 pandemic is that the vaccine contains microchips that can track you. There are no microchips in any of the vaccines, only the ingredients mentioned above that help your immune system fight the virus and produce antibodies. These antibodies help you develop immunity to COVID-19 without ever having tested positive.

6. If you’ve had COVID-19, you don’t need the vaccine

Some people who have gotten sick with COVID-19 believe they don’t need the vaccine because they already have immunity. The CDC says that you should still get the vaccine, however, because it gives you additional protection. You’re more likely to get COVID-19 again if you don’t get vaccinated, for example, so your protection level is much higher with the vaccine than without.

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Getting vaccinated against illnesses like COVID-19 ensures that you are protecting yourself fully. Don’t let myths about the COVID-19 vaccine or those for other viruses get in the way of taking important steps for better health!

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