Myths and facts about COVID-19

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Berthoud Weekly Surveyor September 30, 2021 Page 17 Myths and facts about COVID-19 from trusted sources

From the Mayo Clinic website, Sept. 2, 2021

Vaccines are perhaps the best hope for ending the COVID-19pandemic.

It’s likely you’ve heard false claims about these COVID-19 vaccines on social media or from the people in your life.

Let’s set the record straight on some of the myths circulating about COVID-19 vaccines.

Myth: The COVID-19 vaccine is not safe because it was rapidly developed and tested.

Fact: Manypharmaceuticalcompaniesinvestedsignificantresources into quickly developing a vaccine for COVID-19 because of the worldwide impact of the pandemic. The emergencysituation warranted an emergency response but that does not mean that companies bypassed safety protocols or didn’t perform adequate testing.

Myth: I already had COVID-19 and I have recovered, so I don’t need to get a COVID-19 vaccine when it’s available.

Fact: Getting COVID-19 might offer some natural protection or immunity from reinfection with the virus that causes COVID-19. But it’s not clear how long this protection lasts. Because reinfection is possible and COVID-19 can cause severe medical complications, it’s recommended that people who have already had COVID-19 get a COVID-19 vaccine. If you were treated for COVID-19 with monoclonal antibodies or convalescent plasma, wait 90 days before getting a COVID-19 vaccine.

Myth: There are severe side effects of the COVID-19 vaccines.

Fact: Reports of serious side effects are exceedingly rare. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 363 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines were administered in the U.S. from Dec. 14, 2020, through Aug. 23, 2021. During this time, the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) received 6,968 reports of death (0.0019%) among people who received a COVID-19 vaccine. FDA requires health care providers to report any death after COVID-19 vaccination to VAERS, even if it’s unclear whether the vaccine was the cause. Reports of adverse events to VAERS following vaccination, including deaths, do not necessarily mean that a vaccine caused a health problem.

ForthePfizer-BioNTechandModernavaccines,youmayexperience some mild side effects, primarily injection site pain, fatigue and chills. These symptoms get better without medical care, and usually within 24 to hours.SeconddosesofthePfizer/BioNTechandModernavaccines shouldstillbegiven,evenifyouhadoneofthesereactionsafterthefirst dose. While many people do not have reactions after vaccination, it is normal if you do. It does not mean you have the COVID-19 infection. It is an indicator that your immune system is responding to the vaccine. If you have a reaction, take some time to rest and allow your body to recover.

Myth: The COVID-19 vaccines don’t work because you can still get COVID after vaccination.

Fact: COVID-19 vaccination will protect most people from getting sick with COVID-19, ranging from 66% to 100% effective.

A very small percentage of fully vaccinated people will still get COVID-19 if they are exposed to the COVID-19 virus. These are called vaccine breakthrough cases. Some people might not experience any symptoms and some people could become sick due to COVID-19.

However, vaccination might make the illness less severe. If you are fullyvaccinated,theoverallriskofhospitalizationanddeathdueto COVID-19 is much lower than among unvaccinated people with similar risk factors.

Myth: The current COVID-19 vaccines don’t protect against the COVID-19 variants.

Fact: In the U.S., the Delta (B.1.617.2) variant is now the most common COVID-19 variant. It is nearly twice as contagious as earlier variants and might cause more severe illness. While research suggests that COVID-19 vaccines are slightly less effective against the variants, the vaccines still appear to provide protection against severe COVID-19. For example:

Early research from the U.K. suggests that, after full vaccination, the Pfizer-BioNTechCOVID-19vaccineis effectiveatpreventingsymptomatic COVID-19 virus. The vaccine is also 96% effective at preventing severe disease with the COVID-19 virus caused by the delta variant.

Early research from Canada suggests that, after one dose, the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine is 72% effective at preventing the symptomatic COVID-19 virus caused by the delta variant. One dose of the vaccine is also 96% effective at preventing severe disease with the COVID-19 virus caused by the delta variant.

TheJanssen/Johnson & JohnsonCOVID-19vaccineis effective at preventing severe disease with the COVID-19 virus caused by the delta variant,accordingtodatareleasedbyJohnson & Johnson.

Myth: Children can’t get severely sick with COVID-19, so they don’t need a COVID-19 vaccine.

Fact: While all children can get the virus that causes COVID-19, most have mild symptoms or no symptoms. However, there has been an increased number of cases amongst children because of the Delta variant. Recently,theAmericanAcademyofPediatricshasreported a significant increase in COVID-19 cases amongst people under 18 years of age. The Delta variant is nearly twice as contagious as earlier variants and might cause more severe illness.

While not as likely as adults, children can become severely ill with COVID-19.Theymightneedtobehospitalized,treatedintheintensive care unit or placed on a ventilator to help them breathe, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

In addition, children with underlying conditions, such as obesity, diabetes and asthma, might be at higher risk of serious illness with COVID-19. Children who have congenital heart disease, genetic conditions or conditions affecting the nervous system or metabolism also might be at higher risk of serious illness with COVID-19.

Research also suggests disproportionately higher rates of COVID-19 in Hispanic and non-Hispanic Black children than in non-Hispanic white children.

Some children continue to experience symptoms of COVID-19 after their initial recovery. Rarely, some children might also develop a serious condition that appears to be linked to COVID-19.

A COVID-19 vaccine can prevent your child from getting and spreading the COVID-19 virus. If your child gets COVID-19, a COVID-19 vaccine could prevent him or her from becoming severely ill.

Getting a COVID-19 vaccine may also allow your child to start doing things that he or she might not have been able to do because of the pandemic.

Myth: I won’t need to wear a mask after I get vaccinated for COVID-19.

Fact: You are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after you get a seconddoseofanmRNACOVID-19vaccineortwoweeksafteryou get a singledoseoftheJanssen/Johnson & JohnsonCOVID-19vaccine. After you are fully vaccinated, you can return to doing activities that you might not have been able to do because of the pandemic. You can also stop wearing a mask or social distancing in any setting, except where required by a rule of law.

However, if you are in an area with a high number of new COVID-19 cases in the last week, the CDC recommends wearing a mask indoors in public and outdoors in crowded areas or when you are in close contact with unvaccinated people. If you are fully vaccinated and have a condition or are taking medications that weaken your immune system, you may need to keep wearing a mask.

You also will still be required to wear a mask on planes, buses, trains and other public transportation traveling to, within, or out of the U.S., as well as in places such as airports and train stations.

Myth: The COVID-19 vaccine was developed to control the general population either through microchip tracking or “nanotransducers” in our brains.

Fact: There is no vaccine microchip, and the vaccine will not track people or gather personal information into a database.

This myth started after comments made by Bill Gates from The Gates Foundationabout a digitalcertificateofvaccinerecords.Thetechnology he was referencing is not a microchip, has not been implemented in any manner and is not tied to the development, testing or distribution of COVID-19 vaccines.

Myth:COVID-19vaccineswillaltermyDNA.

Fact: Thefirst COVID-19 vaccinesto reach the market were messengerRNA(mRNA)vaccines.AccordingtotheCDC,mRNAvaccines work by instructing cells in the body how to make a protein that triggers animmuneresponse.InjectingmRNAintoyourbodywillnotinteractor doanythingtotheDNAofyourcells.Humancellsbreakdownandget ridofthemRNAsoonaftertheyhavefinishedusingtheinstructions.

Myth: COVID-19 vaccines were manufactured using fetal tissue.

Fact: NeitherthePfizer/BioNTechCOVID-19vaccinenortheModerna COVID-19 vaccines contain fetal cells nor were fetal cells used in production of either vaccine.

WhiletheJanssen/Johnson & JohnsonCOVID-19vaccinemayhave itsproductionbasedonanadenovirusandhistoricalimmortalized embryonic cell origin, the vaccine does not contain embryonic cells. In addition, the Vatican has stated to get a vaccine dose irrespective of vaccine origin.

Myth: COVID-19 vaccines cause infertility or miscarriage.

Fact: It’s recommended that you get a COVID-19 vaccine if you are trying to get pregnant or might become pregnant in the future. There is currently no evidence that any COVID-19 vaccines cause fertility problems.

A small number of women have reported experiencing temporary menstrual changes after getting a COVID-19 vaccine. A small study has also shown that some women experienced temporary menstrual changes after getting COVID-19. It’s not clear if getting COVID-19 or a COVID-19 vaccine causes these changes. Further research is needed.

Keep in mind that many things can affect menstrual cycles, including infections, stress, sleep problems and changes in diet or exercise.

Myth: Pregnant and breastfeeding women should not get the COVID-19 vaccine.

Fact: If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, it’s recommended that you get a COVID-19 vaccine. Getting a COVID-19 vaccine can protect you from severe illness due to COVID-19. Vaccination can also help pregnant women build antibodies that might protect their babies.

COVID-19 vaccines don’t cause infection with the COVID-19 virus, includinginpregnantwomenortheirbabies.None oftheCOVID-19 vaccines contain the live virus that causes COVID-19.

Whilefurtherresearchisneeded,earlyfindingssuggestthatgetting anmRNACOVID-19vaccineduringpregnancyposesnoseriousrisks forpregnantwomenwhowerevaccinatedortheirbabies.Thefindings are based on data from the CDC’s coronavirus vaccine safety monitoring system.Also,keepinmindthatmRNACOVID-19vaccinesdon’talter yourDNAorcausegeneticchanges.

Inaddition,vaccinesthatusethesameviralvectorastheJanssen/ Johnson & JohnsonCOVID-19vaccinehavebeengiventopregnant womenineachtrimesterofpregnancyinclinicaltrials.Noharmful effects were found.

If you have concerns, talk to your health care provider about the risks andbenefitsofgetting a COVID-19vaccine.

Myth: I am allergic to eggs so I shouldn’t get the COVID-19 vaccine

Fact: NeitherthePfizer/BioNTechCOVID-19vaccinenortheModerna COVID-19 vaccines contain eggs nor were eggs used for the development or production of either vaccine. However, those with severe allergic reac-

tions to eggs or any other substance (i.e., anaphylaxis) are encouraged to remain after vaccination for 30 minutes for observation.

Myth: COVID-19 vaccines must be stored at extremely low temperatures because of preservatives in the vaccines.

Fact: Pfizer/BioNTechandModernahavereportedthattheirvaccines contain no preservatives.

Different vaccines have different storage requirements. For instance, the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine must be stored at minus 94 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 70 degrees Celsius), while Moderna has said that its vaccine needs to be stored at minus 4 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 20 degreesCelsius).BothofthesevaccinesusemessengerRNA,ormRNA, to teach your cells how to make a protein that will trigger an immune responsetoCOVID-19.However,messengerRNAisfragileandcan breakdowneasily.StoringmessengerRNAvaccines,liketheseCOVID-19 vaccines, in an ultracold environment keeps them stable and safe.

You should not worry about these temperatures. Vaccines are thawed before injection.

Information in this post was accurate at the time of its posting. Due tothefluidnatureoftheCOVID-19pandemic,scientificunderstanding, along with guidelines and recommendations, may have changed since the original publication date. getting vaccinated, you develop immunity to that disease, without having togetthediseasefirst.

Can receiving a COVID-19 vaccine cause you to be magnetic?

No. Receiving a COVID-19vaccinewillnotmakeyoumagnetic, including at the site of vaccination which is usually your arm. COVID-19 vaccines do not contain ingredients that can produce an electromagnetic fieldatthesiteofyourinjection.AllCOVID-19vaccinesarefreefrom metals.

Doanyofthe COVID-19vaccinesauthorizedforuseinthe United States shedor releaseany of their components?

No. Vaccinesheddingisthetermusedtodescribethereleaseor discharge of any of the vaccine components in or outside of the body. Vaccine shedding can only occur when a vaccine contains a weakened versionofthevirus.Noneofthevaccinesauthorizedforuseinthe U.S. contain a livevirus.mRNAandviralvectorvaccinesarethetwotypesof currentlyauthorizedCOVID-19vaccinesavailable.

Will a COVID-19vaccinealtermyDNA?

No. COVID-19vaccinesdonotchangeorinteractwithyourDNA inanyway.BothmRNAandviralvectorCOVID-19vaccinesdeliver instructions (genetic material) to our cells to start building protection against the virus that causes COVID-19. However, the material never entersthenucleusofthecell,whichiswhereourDNAiskept.

Myths and facts about COVID-19 vaccines from CDC website, Sept. 7, 2021

How do I know which COVID-19 vaccine information sources are accurate?

Accuratevaccineinformationiscriticalandcanhelpstopcommon myths and rumors.

Itcanbedifficulttoknowwhichsourcesofinformationyoucantrust. Beforeconsideringvaccineinformationontheinternet,checkthatthe information comes from a credible source and is updated on a regular basis.

ArealleventsreportedtotheVaccineAdverseEventReporting System(VAERS)causedbyvaccination?

No. VAERSdataalonecannotdetermineifthereportedadverse eventwascausedby a COVID-19vaccination.Anyonecanreportevents toVAERS,evenifitisnotclearwhether a vaccinecausedtheproblem. SomeVAERSreportsmaycontaininformationthatisincomplete,inaccurate,coincidental,orunverifiable.Theseadverseeventsarestudied by vaccine safety experts who look for unusually high numbers of health problems, or a pattern of problems after people receive a particular vaccine.

Recently,thenumberofdeathsreportedtoVAERSfollowing COVID-19 vaccination has been misinterpreted and misreported as if this numbermeansdeathsthatwereproventobecausedbyvaccination. ReportsofadverseeventstoVAERSfollowingvaccination,includingdeaths, do not necessarily mean that a vaccine caused a health problem.

IsthemRNAvaccineconsidered a vaccine?

Yes. mRNAvaccines,suchasPfizer-BioNTechandModerna,work differently than other types of vaccines, but they still trigger an immune responseinsideyourbody.Thistypeofvaccineisnew,butresearchand development on it has been underway for decades.

ThemRNAvaccinesdonotcontainanylivevirus.Instead,theywork by teaching our cells to make a harmless piece of a “spike protein,” whichisfoundonthesurfaceofthevirusthatcausesCOVID-19.After making the protein piece, cells display it on their surface. Our immune systemthenrecognizesthatitdoesnotbelongthereandrespondstoget rid of it. When an immune response begins, antibodies are produced, creating the same response that happens in a natural infection.

IncontrasttomRNAvaccines,manyothervaccinesuse a piece of, or weakenedversion of, thegermthatthevaccineprotectsagainst.This ishowthemeaslesandfluvaccineswork.When a weakenedorsmall part of the virus is introduced to your body, you make antibodies to help protect against future infection.

Do COVID-19 vaccines contain microchips?

No. COVID-19vaccinesdonotcontainmicrochips.Vaccinesaredevelopedtofightagainstdiseaseandarenotadministeredtotrackyour movement. Vaccines work by stimulating your immune system to produce antibodies,exactlylikeitwouldifyouwereexposedtothedisease.After From John Hopkins website, Sept. 23, 2021

Myth:TheCOVID-19vaccinecanaffectwomen’sfertility.

Fact: TheCOVID-19vaccinewillnotaffectfertility.Thetruthisthat the COVID-19 vaccine encourages the body to create copies of the spike proteinfoundonthecoronavirus’ssurface.This“teaches”thebody’s immunesystemtofightthevirusthathasthatspecificspikeproteinonit.

Confusion arose when a false report surfaced on social media, saying that the spike protein on this coronavirus was the same as another spike protein called syncitin-1 that is involved in the growth and attachment of theplacentaduringpregnancy.ThefalsereportsaidthatgettingtheCOVID-19vaccinewouldcause a woman’sbodytofightthisdifferentspike proteinandaffectherfertility.Thetwospikeproteinsarecompletely different and distinct, and getting the COVID-19 vaccine will not affect the fertility of women who are seeking to become pregnant, including throughinvitrofertilizationmethods.DuringthePfizervaccinetests,23 women volunteers involved in the study became pregnant, and the only one who suffered a pregnancy loss had not received the actual vaccine, but a placebo.

Getting COVID-19, on the other hand, can have a potentially serious impactonpregnancyandthemother’shealth.JohnsHopkinsMedicine encourages women to reach out to their medical providers to discuss other questions they have about COVID-19 as it relates to fertility or pregnancy.

Myth:IfI’vealreadyhadCOVID-19, I don’tneed a vaccine.

Fact: PeoplewhohavegottensickwithCOVID-19maystillbenefit from getting vaccinated. Due to the severe health risks associated with COVID-19 and the fact that re-infection with COVID-19 is possible, people may be advised to get a COVID-19 vaccine even if they have been sick with COVID-19 before.

Thereisnotenoughinformationcurrentlyavailabletosayiforfor how long people are protected from getting COVID-19 after they have hadit(naturalimmunity).Earlyevidencesuggestsnaturalimmunity from COVID-19 may not last very long, but more studies are needed to betterunderstandthis.SeveralsubjectsinthePfizertrialwhowerepreviously infected got vaccinated without ill effects. Some scientists believe the vaccine offers better protection for coronavirus than natural infection.

Myth:ResearchersrushedthedevelopmentoftheCOVID-19vaccine, so its effectiveness and safety cannot be trusted.

Fact: Studies found that the two initial vaccines are both about 95% effective — and reported no serious or life-threatening side effects. TherearemanyreasonswhytheCOVID-19vaccinescouldbedeveloped so quickly. Here are just a few:

TheCOVID-19vaccinesfromPfizer/BioNTechandModernawere created with a method that has been in development for years, so the companies could start the vaccine development process early in the pandemic.

China isolated and shared genetic information about COVID-19 promptly, so scientists could start working on vaccines.

Thevaccinedevelopersdidn’tskipanytestingstepsbutconducted some of the steps on an overlapping schedule to gather data faster.

Vaccine projects had plenty of resources, as governments invested in researchand/orpaidforvaccinesinadvance.

SometypesofCOVID-19vaccineswerecreatedusingmessengerRNA (mRNA),whichallows a fasterapproachthanthetraditionalwaythat vaccines are made.

Socialmediahelpedcompaniesfindandengagestudyvolunteers, and many were willing to help with COVID-19 vaccine research.

BecauseCOVID-19issocontagiousandwidespread,itdidnottake long to see if the vaccine worked for the study volunteers who were vaccinated.

Companies began making vaccines early in the process — even before FDA authorization — sosomesupplieswerereadywhenauthorizationoccurred.

Myth: Getting the COVID-19 vaccine gives you COVID-19.

Fact: ThevaccineforCOVID-19cannot andwillnotgiveyou COVID-19.ThetwoauthorizedmRNAvaccinesinstructyourcellsto reproduce a proteinthatispartoftheSARS-CoV-2coronavirus,which helpsyourbodyrecognizeandfightthevirus,ifitcomesalong.The COVID-19vaccinedoesnotcontaintheSARS-Co-2virus,soyoucannot getCOVID-19fromthevaccine.Theproteinthathelpsyourimmune systemrecognizeandfightthevirusdoesnotcauseinfectionofanysort.

Myth:ThesideeffectsoftheCOVID-19vaccinearedangerous.

Fact:InApril2021,theCDCtemporarilypausedandthenresumed useoftheJohnson & Johnsonvaccine.

ThePfizerandModernaCOVID-19vaccinescanhavesideeffects,but thevastmajorityareveryshort-term—notseriousordangerous.The vaccine developers report that some people experience pain where they were injected; body aches; headaches or fever, lasting for a day or two. Thesearesignsthatthevaccineisworkingtostimulateyourimmune system. If symptoms persist beyond two days, you should call your doctor.

If you have allergies — especially severe ones that require you to carryanEpiPen — discusstheCOVID-19vaccinewithyourdoctor,who can assess your risk and provide more information about if and how you can get vaccinated safely.

Myth:TheCOVID-19vaccineentersyourcellsandchangesyourDNA.

Fact: TheCOVID-19vaccinesaredesignedto helpyourbody’s immunesystemfightthecoronavirus.ThemessengerRNAfromtwoof thefirsttypesofCOVID-19vaccinesdoesentercells,butnotthenucleus ofthecellswhereDNAresides.ThemRNAdoesitsjobtocausethecellto make protein to stimulate the immune system, and then it quickly breaks down — withoutaffectingyourDNA.

Myth:ThemessengerRNAtechnologyusedtomaketheCOVID-19 vaccine is brand new.

Fact: ThemRNAtechnologybehindthenewcoronavirusvaccineshas been in development for almost two decades. Vaccine makers created the technology to help them respond quickly to a new pandemic illness, such as COVID-19.

Myth:TheCOVID-19vaccinewasdevelopedwithorcontainscontroversial substances.

Fact: ThefirsttwoCOVID-19vaccinestobeauthorizedbythe FDA containmRNAandother,normalvaccineingredients,suchasfats(which protectthemRNA),salts,aswellas a smallamountofsugar.These COVID-19 vaccines were not developed using fetal tissue, and they do not contain any material, such as implants, microchips or tracking devices.

Myth:Nowthatwehave a vaccineforCOVID-19,wecanmakevaccines for the common cold, HIV and other diseases.

Fact: Thethousandsofvirusesthatcausevariousdiseasesarevery different.Manychange(mutate)yearbyyear,makingitdifficultto develop one vaccine that works for a long period of time.

Developing vaccines for some disease-causing viruses is tough. For example, the virus that causes HIV can hide and make itself undetectable by the human immune system, which makes creating a vaccine for it extremelydifficult.

Thecommoncoldcanbecausedbyanyoneofhundredsofdifferent viruses, so a vaccine for just one of them would not be very effective.