Let’s rewind back to March 2020. The entire world into chaos, or I should say calm — an unprecedented calm. With worldwide lockdowns imposed, people stuck at home, millions of businesses shut down permanently, the future looked gloomier than ever before.
People were not just about catching the virus and falling sick, but also about the future. How long would we have to live like this? Will there be a vaccine in the future to protect us from this novel virus?
A year years later, we finally have numerous vaccines rolled out across the globe. Governments are urging people to get vaccinated in order to develop immunity, so deaths and hospitalization can be minimized.
But not everyone is buying the idea of vaccination — or feel vaccination is safe. There are hundreds of myths about the vaccine, some even going to such a stupid extent that vaccinated people will die soon.
However, the WHO and other medical experts have debunked them. Let’s discuss what those myths are.
1. Vaccines are not Effective
One of the biggest myths is vaccines are not safe. It takes years of research, then trials are conducted, and data is gathered regarding the effectiveness of a vaccine, before the final rollout.
Anti-vaccine people argue that how come a vaccine for such a novel virus has been prepared within a matter of months?
The thing is, there’s no single vaccine for COVID. In fact, there are around a dozen of them, and each of them has been prepared by reliable bodies.
These vaccines are prepared by the same people who have contributed immensely in medical science. Why would they fail this time?
The vaccine has gone through several phases, trials were conducted in parallel, and because it was a global emergency, everything else was put to rest.
2. Vaccine Gives You COVID
This myth is also cleared by WHO. You don’t get COVID because of the jab but you can have a mild reaction to the vaccine. Headache, low/high blood pressure, and fever are common side effects of vaccines.
The Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines have a strand of genetic material known as RNA or mRNA. When the mRNA enters cells, it causes a piece of spike protein that’s the cause of COVID-19.
This doesn’t harm your body but triggers the immune system to fight it off. The fatigue or headache you get is actually the sign that your immune system has been triggered and immunity against the COVID-19 is building.
3. The COVID-19 Vaccine Includes a Tracking Device
And now comes the most foolish myth about COVID vaccines. Vaccines have some kind of invisible chip in them that will help a third party to control people.
A video circulating on social media is responsible for spreading this misinformation about COVID vaccines.
The video claims about the products of syringe maker Apiject Systems of America that offers an optional version of its products that have a chip within the syringe label.
However, it’s common sense that the chip is not injected but its sole purpose is to identify the dose of the vaccine.
4. People Who Have Been Infected Don’t Need Vaccine
Previously it was assumed that you can’t catch the virus again. However, as more research has been done and data gathered, studies suggest you can catch the virus again. The antibodies in your body wane over time and protection fades.
So the only option left is vaccination. That’s why WHO is asking everyone — including those who have been infected before — to get a jab. Infected before or not, studies show that unvaccinated people are 2.34 times more likely to be infected with COVID-19 than those who are fully vaccinated.
And most importantly, even if someone who’s fully vaccinated gets infected has 90% less chances of hospitalization compared to those who aren’t vaccinated yet.
5. Survival Rate is So High, Why Should I Go for Vaccine?
With a survival rate of 98-99%, people think the odds of their death in case of infection are pretty low. And when they are healthy and fine, why should they get a jab?
But don’t forget that it’s not a one-time threat. You can catch the virus twice. Your strong immune system may survive it for the first time, but you never know how severe it will be the second time.
According to WHO, around 4.5 million people have died from the COVID-19 all around the world. And millions of people ended up with permanent, life-threatening complications in the lungs, heart, and even brain.
For sure, these complications can impact the lifespan of an individual. By getting vaccinated, you not only protect yourself but also the ones around you. Widespread vaccination will pave the way for the safety of people who are at a higher risk and can’t be vaccinated because of underlying health problems.
Takeaway
We come across dozens of myths about vaccines on a daily basis. But none of these are true. And these shouldn’t stop you from getting vaccinated. These vaccines are the last hope for a COVID-free future.
Get your test for coronavirus done if you have COVID symptoms or get yourself vaccinated as soon as possible to protect yourself and your loved ones.