If we are to take the list of all major human advancements, vaccines will rank among the top five. They have been the saving force of millions of human lives. From preventing disabling diseases to helping patients suffering from infectious diseases to return to life, vaccines have had a tremendous impact on mankind. 

But, how do vaccines weave their magic? At a molecular level, vaccines work with your body’s natural defenses to build protection against diseases that can be serious or even deadly. When you get vaccinated, you not only protect yourself, but you are also helping build herd immunity by preventing the spreading of the disease.

However, despite creating all awareness about vaccines, there is still a minority who harbor doubts or fears about getting vaccinated or vaccinating their near and dear. Their doubts and fears are founded on myths and misconceptions that lack scientific backing. These myths are the primary cause of confusion and anxiety, and also why there is always a small minority that escapes from vaccinating themselves for preventable diseases.

That’s why we have created this blog: to debunk some of the common myths and misconceptions about vaccines and provide you with factual and evidence-based information.

Let’s get started!

Myth 1: Vaccines are unsafe because of their hurried development

One of the myths that some people may have about vaccines is that they are unsafe because of their unsafe development. Case in point: the COVID-19 vaccines. However, this is far from true. All vaccines, including COVID-19 vaccines, undergo a rigorous testing and approval process before they are authorized and released for public use.

The testing happens in a lab where it is subject to various combinations and permutations of tests to ensure that it has no reactions, allergies, or side effects. Then, it’s tested in people in clinical trials to make sure it’s safe and effective. There are three phases of clinical trials:

• Phase 1 is done in a small group of people. Scientists first determine if the vaccine is safe and test different doses.
• Phase 2 is done in hundreds of people who have characteristics similar to the intended recipients of the vaccine. Scientists gather more information on safety, side effects, and immune response.
• Phase 3 is done in thousands of people and compared with a similar group of people who did not get the vaccine. Scientists measure how well the vaccine prevents the disease and monitor its safety in a large population2.

The COVID-19 vaccines were developed faster than usual because of several factors, such as:

• Unprecedented global collaboration, funding, and scientific innovation
• Availability of advanced technologies and platforms for vaccine development
• Prior knowledge and experience from previous coronavirus outbreaks
• Streamlined regulatory and administrative processes without compromising safety standards
• Overlapping phases of clinical trials to save time while ensuring quality dat

The fact is, like any approved medicine, vaccines can cause some side effects, however, they are usually mild and short-lived. For example, the COVID-19 vaccines showed some side effects like pain, redness, and swelling at the injection site, followed by tiredness, headache, muscle pain, chills, fever, and nausea. 

These side effects do not indicate that your body is revolting to the vaccine. Instead, these effects are normal signs that your body is building protection against the virus. They usually go subside in a few days. 

Therefore, we can safely conclude that vaccines are safe and effective because they undergo extensive testing and approval before they are used. 

Myth 2: Vaccines can cause the disease they are supposed to prevent

Another widespread myth about vaccines is that they can cause the disease they are supposed to prevent. The knowledge that treated viruses of the disease are sometimes used as the vaccine had led to the myth. However, this is also not true. Vaccines are designed to stimulate your immune system to fight off the disease without causing infection.

Depending on the type of vaccine, the immune response will vary. Some of the main types of vaccines are:

• Live attenuated vaccines use a weakened form of the germ that causes the disease. These vaccines are very similar to natural infection, so they provide strong and long-lasting immunity. Examples of diseases that can only be prevented by live attenuated vaccines are measles, mumps, and rubella.
• Inactivated or subunit vaccines use killed or inactivated germs or specific parts of the germ, such as proteins or sugars. These vaccines cannot cause infection, but they may not provide immunity that is as strong or long-lasting as live attenuated vaccines. Therefore, they may require booster shots to maintain protection. Examples of diseases that can be prevented by inactivated or subunit vaccines are COVID-19, polio, and hepatitis B.

Live attenuated vaccines cannot cause the disease in healthy people because the weakened germs cannot multiply enough to make you sick. However, in very rare cases, some people with weakened immune systems or other health conditions may not be able to safely receive live attenuated vaccines. That’s why it’s important to talk to your healthcare provider before getting vaccinated if you have any concerns about your health or medical history.

Inactivated or subunit vaccines cannot cause the disease at all because they do not contain any live germs. However, they may cause some mild side effects, such as pain, redness, and swelling at the injection site or fever, headache, and muscle pain. These side effects are normal signs that your body is building protection and they usually go away within a few days.

All said, we can safely assume that vaccines do not cause the disease they are supposed to prevent. They help your body create protective antibodies without causing infection.

Myth 3: Vaccines contain toxic ingredients that can harm you

Well, we just dispelled the fact that vaccines, although contain treated viruses, are not toxic in nature. But, does the lab treatment add any other toxic ingredients? However, this is another myth that is not based on facts. Vaccines contain only the ingredients they need to be safe and effective, and each ingredient serves a specific purpose.

Some of the common ingredients in vaccines are:

• Water, salts, and sugars
• Fats and proteins
• Adjuvants
• Stabilizers
• Preservatives
• Residual ingredients

All these ingredients are tested and approved by regulatory authorities, such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the U.S., to ensure their safety and quality. The amount of each ingredient in a vaccine is carefully measured and controlled, and it is far below the level that can cause any harm to your health.

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Myth 4: The natural immunity I get from being sick with COVID-19 is better than the immunity I get from COVID-19 vaccination

Well, it is good to have confidence in one’s health and well-being. However, it is always foolhardy to assume against grave viruses like COVID-19 for which there is little intel available. One of the myths that has surfaced recently is that getting sick with COVID-19 and recovering from it will give them better immunity than getting vaccinated. However, getting a COVID-19 vaccine is a safer and more dependable way to build immunity than getting sick with COVID-19.

There are two main ways to acquire immunity to a disease: natural immunity and vaccine-induced immunity.

• Natural immunity is created when your body is exposed to a germ and your body produces antibodies and T cells to fight it off. 
• Vaccine-induced immunity is created when you receive a vaccine that contains weakened or inactivated germs or parts of them. 

The evidence shows that natural immunity to COVID-19 is not as reliable or durable as vaccine-induced immunity. Studies have found that Natural immunity to COVID-19 can vary widely among individuals and may not be sufficient to prevent reinfection or symptomatic disease, especially with the Delta variant (Source: UCLA Health). All said, getting a COVID-19 vaccine is a safer and more dependable way to build immunity. 

Myth 5: Getting a COVID-19 vaccine will cause me to test positive on a viral test or alter my DNA

It is a common myth that getting a COVID-19 vaccine will cause them to test positive on a viral test or alter their DNA. However, this is another myth that is not based on facts. None of the authorized COVID-19 vaccines can cause you to test positive on viral tests or infect you with the virus. They also do not enter your nucleus or change your DNA.

None of the authorized COVID-19 vaccines can cause you to test positive on viral tests or infect you with the virus. This is because they do not contain any live virus that can multiply or cause infection in your body. They only contain parts of the virus or instructions for making them.

Getting a COVID-19 vaccine will not cause you to test positive on a viral test or alter your DNA. They will only cause you to test positive on an antibody test, which means that you have developed immunity to COVID-19.

Conclusion

We hope we have debunked some of the common myths and misconceptions about vaccines and provided you with factual and evidence-based information. Vaccination is one of the most effective ways to prevent diseases and save lives. When you get vaccinated, you not only protect yourself but also help stop the spread of diseases to others in your community. Don’t let these myths stop you from protecting yourselves from any kind of pandemics or far-spreading diseases.