7 Myths about the Covid-19 Vaccine

The majority of people in the world are still vulnerable to Covid-19. No one knows how long the lockdowns or restrictions need to continue in order to control the spread of the virus.

Some of the current most promising Covid-19 vaccines (Source: BBC)

The health experts believe that a vaccine is pretty much the only way to get back to a pre-pandemic “normal”. However according to Bustle.com, there are still a lot of myths, misconceptions, scepticism, and outright rejection out there on the vaccine:

Myth 1: "A Vaccine Won't Be Safe"

With so many pharmaceutical companies, including AstraZeneca and Moderna, competing for millions of dollars in government vaccine orders, some worry that a vaccine might not be fully vetted before it's released.

The short answer is that vaccines aren’t allowed to go anywhere near the public until they’re shown to be safe. The COVID-19 vaccines will go through animal testing, three different clinical trial phases with humans, and regulatory reviews before it ever makes it to market.

Myth 2: "The Vaccine Will Be Rushed"

“It’s true that most vaccines take years to develop, but scientists all over the world have been working since COVID-19 emerged to find a vaccine,” Dr. Sarin says. “Additionally, many of top candidates that have emerged for a COVID-19 vaccine were not developed entirely from scratch. Some of the vaccine candidates were already in development after research on similar diseases (SARS and MERS) provided information on what might work best to fight COVID-19.”

The collaboration between research teams, governments, and private companies all over the world has accelerated the time for vaccine development.

Myth 3: "That Vaccine Trial Being Paused Was A Bad Sign"

When a trial for AstraZeneca's vaccine was paused in August after a subject became unwell, people started to worry. In reality, pauses are a good sign, because they show the drug companies are taking safety concerns seriously. “When we see companies like AstraZeneca pause the vaccine trial — which includes thousands of volunteers worldwide — for just one person, that is a testament to their priority of safety,” Dr. Nesheiwat says.

The BBC reports the patient in the AstraZeneca case developed an inflammatory syndrome that can result from some viral infections, but it’s not thought to be related to the vaccine.

Myth 4: "A Vaccine Will Make You More Vulnerable To Illnesses"

Vaccines teach your immune system to recognize and fight specific threats; they don’t overload the immune system or weaken it. “A vaccine is designed to improve your body’s ability to fight a specific disease,” Dr. Sarin says. “Part of the research process involves testing vaccines to ensure that they do not have unintended side effects, such as causing other diseases or putting you at higher risk for developing a different illness.”

Myth 5: "A Vaccine Will Solve Everything"

Once a vaccine is approved, the pandemic's over, right? Nope. “There are still more steps that are necessary before it’s widely available to anyone who wants a vaccine,” Dr. Sarin says. Hundreds of millions of doses need to be manufactured and distributed, and it will take a while for a significant chunk of the population to get vaccinated. Infectious disease physician Michael Ison told NPR in September that at least 60 to 70% of the population needs to be immune to the virus to stop it from spreading. All three vaccines require two doses a few weeks apart, too.

One vaccine may not work forever. The coronavirus may slowly mutate, and the immune effects of a vaccine might fade over time.

Myth 6: "The Vaccine Announcement Timing Is Suspicious"

There were suspicious mutters on social media when Pfizer and BioNTech released preliminary results the Monday after the U.S. election was called for Joe Biden. Pfizer got their results from an independent data-monitoring panel on Sunday, Nov. 8, so releasing them publicly on Nov. 9 seemed like the logical choice. Moderna's trial announcement followed a similar pattern, with its independent panel delivering results a week later on Sunday, Nov. 15.

Myth 7: "There'll Be A Vaccine By The End Of The Year"

For starters, vaccines won’t be available to everybody immediately. “In the early phases, a new vaccine will only be available on a very limited basis,” Dr. Sarin says. Once the FDA approves a vaccine, its distribution will be handled by Operation Warp Speed. As of November 2020, Reuters reports, Operation Warp Speed plans to have vaccines available at pharmacies and clinics by April 2021, and accessible to all Americans by June.

It’s also worth noting that the effect of the vaccine on pregnant women or children is still unknown yet. Until everybody gets vaccinated, including those who are vulnerable, social distancing, mask-wearing, and hand-washing are a must!

 

Reference:

JR Thorpe, 7 Myths About The COVID-19 Vaccine, Debunked By Doctors https://www.bustle.com