News spreads quickly and misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccine is easy to find. Conspiracy theories and anti-vax propaganda have aggressively spread falsehoods about the vaccine through social media channels, making it difficult to distinguish fact from fiction. As a result, many people have become confused, scared and suspicious of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Vaccinations in Manhattan is our best weapon to end the COVID pandemic. In this blog, I will clean up with the facts and explain what is true and what is false about the COVID-19 vaccine.

Misconception about the COVID-19 vaccine

1-I have no confidence in the vaccine. There is not enough scientific research on this

Fact: The COVID-19 vaccine was quickly developed due to the urgency of the pandemic and approved by the FDA as an emergency vaccine. However, this does not mean that the vaccine bypasses safety protocols or has not been tested. The COVID-19 vaccine has undergone the same clinical trial protocols as all other vaccines. No regulatory steps have been omitted. About 43,000 people participated in the first study of Pfizer’s vaccine, while about 30,000 people participated in the clinical study of Moderna.

2-I already had COVID-19, so I’m immune. I don’t need the vaccine

Reality: We do not yet know exactly how long immunity lasts after infection with COVID-19. However, we know that reinfection is possible. In some cases, people who became infected with COVID a second time were sicker than with the first infection. It is safer to get vaccinated than to get sick again (and not knowing how the virus will affect a second time).

New strains of COVID-19 are emerging worldwide and in the United States. However, scientists believe that vaccination will provide some protection, since the variants are not yet so different that the vaccine would be ineffective.

3-If I get vaccinated, I can stop wearing masks

Fact: This is partly true and partly false. The truth is that the CDC has stated that it is safe for fully vaccinated people not to wear masks in the house or in a private setting:

– Others in this environment are fully vaccinated

– Other people in this environment are not fully vaccinated, but live in the same household and are not at risk of serious illness.

However, we are still in the process of learning more about COVID-19 and the COVID-19 vaccine. Currently, there is not enough data to know if you can transmit COVID-19 to other people after being vaccinated: so far, the data suggest that vaccinated people are much less likely to spread the virus, but this has not yet been definitively proven. Until this is better understood, it is important to keep physical distance and wear a mask. We also know that there have been” breakthrough cases ” of COVID-19 in vaccinated individuals, which means that it is possible (albeit rare) to contract the virus after vaccination. For this reason, it is better to play it safe and wear the mask when you are near other people.

4-COVID-19 vaccine causes infertility

Fact: None of the COVID-19 vaccines have been linked to infertility or miscarriages. This myth is an excellent example of misinformation spread on the Internet as part of a sophisticated disinformation campaign that is believed to have been launched by groups with anti-vax views.

The claim related to the placenta and said that the antibodies produced by the COVID-19 vaccine would react negatively with a protein produced in the placenta, which could lead to miscarriage or infertility. The truth is that these two proteins are completely different and there is no scientific connection to support this claim.

5-I’m pregnant. The vaccine is not safe for pregnant women

Fact: There are limited data on the COVID-19 vaccine in pregnant women. This is typical, since in most clinical studies pregnant women are excluded as a precaution. However, the FDA collects data on people who have been vaccinated shortly before and during pregnancy, and the data does not reveal any safety concerns for pregnant women or their babies.

On the contrary, there is data that shows that COVID treatment during pregnancy can be dangerous for both the mother and the child. Pregnant women have a higher risk of serious illness compared to non-pregnant women. That’s why the CDC recommends pregnant women talk to their doctor about vaccination, and also recommends the COVID vaccine for nursing mothers.

6-The COVID-19 vaccine changes DNA

Fact: the vaccine does not interact with your DNA in any way, nor does it change it. The COVID-19 vaccines currently available are messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines, e.g. from Pfizer and Moderna, and viral vector vaccines (e.g. from Johnson & Johnson).

-mRNA vaccines: With these vaccines, your body learns to produce a specific protein that only exists in COVID-19. This protein triggers an immune reaction in your body, causing it to recognize and fight the actual virus. Once your body has read the “instructions” of the vaccine, it will get rid of the mRNA again.

– Viral vector vaccines: Vaccines such as that of Johnson & Johnson contain a harmless type of a common virus, called adenovirus, which has been modified to carry the genetic code for the SARS-2 peak protein. This is another way your body can learn the instructions to fight COVID-19.