The COVID-19 vaccine: myths versus facts

Myth  

“The COVID-19 vaccine has been rushed into production, regardless of safety protocols, and is unsafe.” 

Fact  

Over the past few decades, scientists, doctors and other experts have refined the processes behind creating safe, effective vaccines against dangerous illnesses. Those lessons have been applied in developing the COVID-19 vaccine, with one key difference: an unprecedented level of cooperation between key partners, worldwide, in both the private and public sectors. This collaboration has empowered experts to produce a safe, effective vaccine in record time – an achievement worth celebrating.  

Myth  

“The vaccine will change my DNA.” 

Fact  

The COVID-19 vaccines are designed to stimulate the body to recognise the distinct markers of the novel coronavirus and react accordingly. The Pfizer vaccine makes use of technology known as messenger RNA, while the Johnson & Johnson is known as a viral vector-based vaccine. Both train your body to produce immunity cells that can combat the real virus, should you become infected in future. In this way, the vaccine uses genetic material to build protection, but this material is not a live virus – so it cannot discharge any of the vaccine components in or outside of the body, nor enter the nucleus of the cell. This means it cannot alter your DNA. 

Myth 

“Vaccines cause severe side-effects, disease and even death.” 

Fact 

When your body responds to the vaccine, you may experience mild and temporary symptoms that mimic the effects of the disease itself. These symptoms include low-grade fever, a sore arm, and fatigue, and they usually subside after one to three days. They are signs that the body’s immune system is reacting to the vaccine, not indicators that you’ve been infected with the disease itself. No deaths have been linked to people receiving any of the vaccines during the various COVID-19 vaccine trials, anywhere in the world.  

Myth 

“The COVID-19 vaccine makes men and/or women infertile.” 

Fact 

Proteins in the make-up of the COVID-19 vaccine are not dangerous to women seeking to become pregnant and cannot affect a man’s fertility either. During initial stages of both the Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccine trials, many female volunteers became pregnant successfully. However, contracting a severe case of COVID-19 can have a potentially serious impact on pregnancy and the mother’s health. 

Myth 

“I’ve had COVID-19, so I don’t need a vaccine.” 

Fact 

If you’ve previously recovered from COVID-19, your body will have produced antibodies against the disease – and these remain in the body for three to six months. This means it’s possible to be reinfected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, even if you’ve previously contracted the virus. However, vaccination helps protect against severe COVID-19 complications, regardless of how many times you contract the disease – and the vaccine provides better protection than natural infection. 

Myth 

“I don’t need to wear a mask or take other preventive measures once I receive a COVID-19 vaccine.” 

Fact 

Even after being vaccinated against COVID-19, you’re still at risk of contracting and spreading the disease. Although you’re at much less risk of developing a severe case, you may still transmit the virus to others, who may not be vaccinated. This means you must continue to wear a mask in public, practise physical distancing and maintain good hand hygiene, for the safety of those around you.