COVID 19 Vaccine Myth Buster:
Vaccines are important in controlling the spread of COVID19. It will prevent infection and ultimately build herd immunity to the disease. Frontline workers across the world are working tirelessly to develop and deploy new vaccines. However, misinformation around COVID19 vaccines is holding back people from getting vaccinated. Vaccine hesitancy is not new and WHO named it as one of the top ten threats to global health. Here, we attempt to break down some myths surrounding the COVID19 vaccine.
1. MYTH: Development of COVID-19 vaccines were rushed
FACT:
The vaccine was not rushed. Normally, for vaccine trials, we need enough people to get the disease to understand the effectiveness of the vaccine but since there was no shortage of that, it was possible to study the effects of disease and vaccine. The development of these vaccines was also based on tons of scientific work that had been done previously in the laboratory and in animals.
2. MYTH: The vaccine will not protect against COVID-19 variants
FACT:
Viruses mutate a lot of the time.The efficacy of the vaccine can reduce as more variants emerge over time. Hence, by vaccinating people at the earliest, we will manage to reduce transmission and limit mutation.
3. MYTH: Older adults with poor health should not get the vaccine
FACT:
Older adults are at a higher risk of hospitalization, experiencing complications from the virus, and even death. The vaccine will lower your risk of getting sick if you are exposed to the virus. It is still possible to contract the disease after the vaccine but studies have shown that it prevents serious illness. It will also protect the people around you from getting infected.
4. MYTH: Those who have allergies should not get the vaccine
FACT:
Out of the tens of thousands of people who were tested in the initial COVID-19 vaccine trial, there were no serious adverse effects. You can always discuss your allergies with your doctor prior to taking the vaccine to get a better understanding of how it will impact you.
5. MYTH: You don’t need to get the vaccine if you’ve already had COVID
FACT:
The duration of the immunity from COVID19 is still under study. There are reports which show people who have gotten COVID-19 twice. WHO recommends getting vaccinated even if you have had COVID-19
6. MYTH: COVID-19 vaccines can make you sick
FACT:
COVID-19 vaccines cannot make you sick with COVID-19, but it is still possible to contract the virus after getting the first dose of the vaccine. You can experience side effects from both the doses of the vaccine. The symptoms vary based on the vaccine but the common ones are muscle pain, chills, fatigue and fever. These can be treated with medication.
7. Can cow urine (gomutra) prevent COVID 19?
FACT:
NO! Please go take the COVID 19 Vaccine. This has no scientific basis.
