These day, information is spread in various ways, either through media, internet sources, print, or word of mouth. Which sources are creditable? Which sources are providing "fake news". It is difficult to know who to listen to and which information is true or false; especially when it comes to vaccines.
Vaccines are substances that can help the body develop antibodies, providing immunity against a specific disease. With the many newer viruses/diseases that are currently spreading, such as COVID-19, there can be controversy on whether receiving the vaccines can be more harmful than helpful.
Let's get to the bottom of vaccines and break down the most common myths vs. the facts!
Vaccine Myths vs. Facts
Myth: Individuals can get the disease from a vaccine.
Fact: Most vaccines are inactivated (killed) vaccines or live-attenuated vaccines (weakened enough to not cause disease); therefore, making it impossible to contract the disease from the vaccine.
Myth: The COVID-19 vaccine will change my DNA.
Fact: There is no DNA in the vaccine and the vaccine does not alter DNA. The messenger RNA (mRNA) used in vaccines such as this, is a template for making proteins. In the case of COVID, the mRNA directs the cell to make the COVID spike protein, resulting in the mRNA disintegrating relatively quickly. The presence of the COVID spike protein stimulate the body's immune system to produce antibodies. The antibodies either prevent the infection or reduce the severity of the infection.
Myth: Since everyone else around me is vaccinated, I do not need to get vaccinated.
Fact: When enough people receive a vaccination to protect themselves against a disease and have developed the specific antibodies to protect them against any future infection, this is called herd immunity and does exist, therefore, leading to the disease to disappear. The problem with thinking that an individual does not need to get vaccinated because everyone else around him or her is, can lead to multiple people having that thinking process resulting in herd immunity disappearing.
These are just some of the most common myths and facts. Some of these may have surprised you or maybe you already knew this information. Either way, research is constantly developing innovative ways to advance health for the future.
References:
