COVID-19 Vaccine Myths Debunked

*Editor’s note: The information in this article is current as of December 21, 2020. We're updating our COVID-19 and vaccination information as frequently as possible. This data changes quickly, so we urge you to visit the CDC website for the most current information.

In mid-December, when the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine was approved by the FDA, it felt like we were all collectively able to take our first real, deep breath in months. News reports across the country dubbed the occasion “V Day” (for vaccine day) and filled our screens with hopeful images of essential front-line health care workers receiving the vaccine—including an intensive care nurse with Northwell Health, who was the first person in the United States to be vaccinated against the disease. And already, at least two others have followed in Pfizer’s footsteps, providing additional paths to vaccination.

But while those of us in the medical community are celebrating this historic step toward ending a pandemic that has caused hundreds of thousands of deaths and sickened millions of people in the U.S., polls show that many Americans are still hesitant to get vaccinated. And this is due in large part to some myths and misconceptions about the COVID-19 vaccine.

As an expert in infectious diseases, I want people to feel safe and confident in their choice to get vaccinated, so I decided to address some of the most common myths about the COVID-19 vaccine, and offer the real facts.

This is probably the biggest misconception about the COVID-19 vaccine, and it’s understandable that people would have concerns about a vaccine that was developed, tested, and approved in a relatively short amount of time. However, even though the vaccine was created in under a year, that doesn’t mean any corners were cut. The Pfizer-BioNTech study was very well done and included more than 20,000 participants—a figure that is on par with the median number of participants in other non-COVID vaccine studies. One of the biggest time savers was that the manufacturing of the vaccine was done in conjunction with the testing.

With most infections, natural immunity is indeed better than immunity from a vaccine. But COVID may be the exception. While further research is needed to determine if this is true, it does not appear that having COVID produces lifelong immunity. That’s why a prior history of COVID is not a contraindication to getting the vaccine, and why people will not be screened before vaccination. However, given that the vaccine will be in short supply for several months, I do recommend that if you’ve recently had COVID, you consider waiting to get vaccinated until others have had the opportunity to get it first.

There is no chance of getting COVID from the vaccine. Some vaccines, such as the MMR vaccine, contain live virus particles that have been weakened and altered. But the COVID vaccine is not a live virus vaccine. You can’t get COVID from the vaccine because there is no COVID in the vaccine.

Both the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines are a newer type of vaccine called a messenger RNA vaccine, or mRNA. They contain a small piece of messenger RNA, which codes for the production of a protein located on the spike of the COVID virus. This triggers an immune response, which produces antibodies to that spike protein. And that’s what protects you from getting infected if the real virus enters your body. But the RNA in the vaccine does not alter or interact with your DNA or any other part of your body.

There is no microchip in the COVID-19 vaccine.

There’s no evidence or even biological plausibility to suggest that this is true. The messenger RNA that helps make you immune to COVID does not make you more susceptible to other diseases.

We are a long way off from herd immunity, which may take up to another year to 18 months to achieve. Right now in this country, roughly 3,000 people a day are dying of COVID. So it’s not in anyone’s best interest to wait for herd immunity.

In addition, there are large segments of the population who will not be eligible for the vaccine or for whom it’s not recommended, at least initially, and that includes children and the immunosuppressed. Children were not included in the initial studies, and we know that immunosuppressed patients, including people with transplants, cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, and lupus, don’t respond to vaccines as well as healthy people. So for all those reasons, there are going to be vulnerable people out there for a long time to come, and that’s why I urge everyone who can get vaccinated to get the vaccine.

The flu shot does not provide any immunity to COVID and vice versa. Each vaccine treats a different disease, and both vaccines are needed.

All vaccines can cause allergic reactions, and this vaccine is no exception. Allergic reactions to the vaccine appear to be rare, but as more people are vaccinated, additional data will help to provide better clarity. While having a history of allergies is not a contraindication to getting the vaccine, for those who have had a history of severe allergic reactions, a discussion with their physician might be considered. Caution would dictate that people who have a history of anaphylaxis may need to be watched for about 30 minutes after they get the vaccine, and should receive it in a facility that can rapidly and effectively respond, should a severe reaction occur.

There are no plans for the COVID-19 vaccine to be mandatory.

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