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2022-06-09
Category: COVID-19
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Ten Myths and Facts about COVID-19 Vaccines You Should Know

The entire world came to a halt with the spread of the COVID-19 virus, and we saw both information and misinformation spread like wildfire in the wake of the pandemic. The COVID-19 vaccine became one of the most essential measures in the quest of helping the world return to normalcy. Despite the proven importance of getting vaccinated, a lot of myths, misunderstanding and misinformation have spread among people that have either discouraged people from getting vaccinated or have raised their inhibitions about the same, thus negating their chances of getting vaccinated for their own and other’s safety. Clearing the air and bursting myths is an important step in the fight against the COVID-19 virus. 

Here are ten myths about the COVID-19 vaccine accompanied with the vaccine facts:

Myth 1: You Don’t Need The Vaccine If You’ve Already Had COVID-19

Fact: There is evidence to suggest that the COVID-19 vaccine is the most effective protection against the COVID-19 virus, whether you’ve contracted the virus before or not. If you’ve had Covid before and if you are not vaccinated, the chances of you getting re-infected are two times higher than people who had Covid but still got vaccinated. Research also suggests that the immunity that you gain from getting the vaccine is higher than the level of immunity you gain after getting Covid. Getting the vaccine acts as a protection not just for you but also for others, and helps limit the spread of COVID-19. When you are getting the vaccine, make sure to inform the healthcare professional about your history of COVID-19 including information like when did you get ill, how long back you recovered, what kind of treatment you received and so on.

Myth 2: Women’s Fertility is affected by the COVID-19 vaccine 

Fact: The COVID-19 vaccine does not affect fertility. The COVID-19 vaccine is meant to create copies of the spike protein found on the coronavirus’s surface, so that the body’s immune system learns to fight the virus that has the specific spike protein on it. This myth of women’s fertility being affected started doing the rounds when a false report spread on social media that claimed that coronavirus was the same as another spike protein called syncytin-1.  This protein is linked to the growth and attachment of the woman’s placenta during pregnancy. The report suggested that the vaccine will fight this other protein instead (syncytin-1) and affect women’s fertility. However both these spike proteins are completely different and there is no way that the vaccine can affect women’s ability to get pregnant. 

Myth 3: Researchers rushed the process of developing the COVID-19 vaccines and so we cannot be sure about how safe or effective the vaccine is.

Fact: Studies have shown that both vaccines, Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna, are 95 percent effective. There are numerous reasons for why the vaccines became available so quickly, but this has nothing to do with the effectiveness or safety of vaccines being compromised in any way. Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna were created using a method that was in development for many years prior to the pandemic and thus the company could start the development process very quickly. China was prompt in sharing genetic information with scientists in the early stages, which allowed scientists to start working on the vaccine at the earliest. Also, the vaccine developers did not miss any testing stages during the process of the vaccine development. Instead, they only overlapped some schedules of when they were gathering data to speed up the process. The entire process was also much faster because vaccine projects had enough resources and funding since the governments were invested in the research. 

Myth 4: Taking the COVID-19 vaccine will give you COVID-19.

Fact: Getting vaccinated will not give you Covid. The vaccine does not have COVID-19 virus in it. Instead the two authorized mRNA vaccines help your cells reproduce a protein that is part of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, so that if the virus enters your body, your body recognizes it and is prepared to fight it. The protein that the vaccine contains and that helps your immune system recognize the virus does not and cannot cause COVID-19 infection in you. 

Myth 5 – The COVID-19 vaccine has dangerous side effects.      

Fact: Both COVID-19 vaccines, Pfizer and Moderna, do have side effects, but these side effects are generally and not dangerous or too severe. Once you take the vaccine, people may experience pain on the spot where they were injected, they may have body ache, fever or headaches, however these generally only last for a day or two. This happens because the vaccine has started working in your body to stimulate the immune system. In case your symptoms go on for more than two days, you should reach out to your doctor.  If you are someone who has allergies that require you to carry an EpiPen, you should discuss it with your doctor before taking the vaccine. The doctor will share more information and will help you understand how you can get the vaccination safely.  

Myth 6: If I have taken the COVID-19 vaccine, I do not need to wear the mask anymore.

Fact: While the CDC continues to monitor the spread of COVID-19 virus, it recommends wearing the mask for both vaccinated and non vaccinated people. The precautions of wearing a mask and maintaining social distancing also need to be followed in hospitals, clinics and other healthcare facilities as per the CDC’s recommendation. 

Myth 7: The COVID-19 vaccines lead to cause variants.            

Fact: It is not possible for the COVID-19 to create variants. Infact the COVID-19 vaccine can stop the virus variants from mutating and emerging, since vaccination reduces the spread of the virus. 

Myth 8: COVID-19 vaccines cause variants.

Fact: The COVID-19 vaccines are not responsible for variants. Instead, COVID-19 vaccination can ensure that the virus does not mutate too fast and lead to more variants. New variants of the virus emerge because of the process of mutation wherein the virus changes through a natural process. If more and more people get vaccinated, the mutation of the virus can be slowed down since the spread of the virus will be contained through vaccines. 

Myth 9: The COVID-19 vaccine contains microchips or a tracking device.

Fact: COVID-19 vaccines contain neither microchips nor tracking devices.The vaccines contain the ingredients that help you fight the disease. They do not have anything in them that can track your movement. You can learn more about the ingredients in the COVID-19 vaccine here. 

Myth 10: The COVID-19 vaccine could alter my DNA.

Fact: The COVID-19 vaccine does not interact with or have any effect on your DNA. The genetic material of the mRNA vaccines enters the nucleus of your cells where the DNA is. However the vector virus present that is meant to deliver instructions to build protection against the COVID-19 virus does not have the machinery required to alter your DNA in any way. Once your body produces the immune response necessary to fight the virus post vaccination, the body discards all the vaccine ingredients. There is no way the vaccine can alter your DNA in any way.

COVID-19 Related Services By First Response Healthcare

First Response Healthcare (FRH) is a JCI accredited home healthcare company in Dubai that provides holistic medical care to patients through services that are prompt and of high quality. In case you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, FRH offers the service of Covid Testing and Doctor On Call, right at your doorstep.  For implementing international and high quality standards in its services, FRH has received a gold seal of approval from the Joint Commission International Standards for Home Healthcare.

Our services are available 24*7, even on weekends and public holidays and we can reach you anywhere in Dubai within 30 minutes. For Covid Test sample collection, a fully gowned-up nurse (with all Personal Protection Equipment, PPE) will visit a location of your preference. You will be required to share your name, Emirates ID, contact email, address, occupation and travel history.  Once the collection is done, your sample will be sent to a DHA approved and accredited laboratory for evaluation. We ensure that the results of your test by email within 18-20 hours. If you wish to get the test results sooner, you can choose our Express Service wherein you’ll get the test reports within 8-10 hours. 

Why You Should Get Your COVID-19 Test Done By First Response Healthcare Offers:

  • Mobile On Demand Service
  • Through our express Service, you can your test results within 8-10 hours
  • Our Test Reports are accepted by all airlines and act as an documentation and evidence for travel
  • All our Partner Labs are certified, accredited and DHA approved
  • We can reach you anywhere across the Emirate of Dubai
  • For emergency travel, we ensure that you get your test within 8-10 hours. 

To avail the service of a doctor at home or to get a COVID-19 test in Dubai, you can call on 0505050387 or 800DIALDOC. You can also make an appointment by visiting https://firstresponsehealthcare.com/ae/dubai