COVID-19 Vaccine: What is Real? What is Not?

by Aron Shane A. Aurea (created January 3, 2022)

In hopes of stopping the pandemic from terrorizing the whole world, experts from different

countries have been producing several vaccines to help us gain armor from the coronavirus. Safe and

effective vaccines are an essential tool, in combination with other safety measures, to our salvation

amidst COVID-19, saving lives and slowly bringing back order in our society (Acquah, 2021).

Governments and health organizations, such as the World Health Organization, go hand-in-hand in

spreading the supply of vaccines to different areas for vaccination. There are few common types of

COVID-vaccines authorized for use by the population. One is the whole or inactivated virus vaccine,

such as the Sinovac, Covaxin, and Sinopharm vaccines (WHO, 2021). Another is the mRNA vaccine,

including Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines. Lastly: Johnson & Johnson; Oxford, AstraZeneca;

Sputnik Light; and Sputnik V are part of the viral vector vaccine family. While these vaccines are

presented promising against the COVID-19 virus and its variants, some still could not stop from

making assumptions and misconceptions. And so, common myths are debunked by the Centers for

Disease Control and Prevention, with the statement of facts to regulate fear from vaccination that

hinders immunity from the virus. In that way, other people might be convinced to lay down their wall of

distrust and finally set up for shots.

Some of us raised questions on the internet whether the COVID-19 vaccines cause variants of

the virus or not. CDC answers it as a no. According to them, COVID-19 variants emerge as a result of

change through natural courses of mutation. Some of these were even known to be older than the

production of the vaccines. Furthermore, COVID-19 vaccines prove to be our allies against the family

of SARS-COV 2. More vaccinations from people mean a more substantial shielding from the spread

of the disease and prevention of any more enemy variants.

Another misconception is that mRNA vaccines don't seem to be vaccines at all. Discernably,

these are vaccines that work differently than other types of assembly. The CDC explains that the

mRNA vaccines do not contain any live viruses. Instead, they work by teaching our cells to make a

harmless piece of a "spike protein," which is found on the surface of the virus that causes COVID-19.

After making the protein piece, our cells display it on their surface. The immune system then

recognizes that it does not belong there and responds to get rid of it. When an immune response

begins, antibodies are produced, creating the same response that happens in a natural infection. In
contrast to mRNA vaccines, many other vaccines use a piece of, or weakened version of, the germ

that the vaccine protects against.

We can also ponder upon if vaccines contain microchips that track our every movement and

thought. However, it is not likely at all. The CDC states that vaccines work by stimulating our immune

systems to produce antibodies, exactly like they would if we were exposed to the disease. After

getting vaccinated, we develop immunity to that disease without getting the disease first.

The next myth may come from a bit of our imagination and idea on science fiction. We might

think the vaccines cause people to be magnetic. It might be an intriguing concept for an essay or a

book, but receiving a COVID-19 vaccine will not make us magnetic, including at the site of our

vaccination. COVID-19 vaccines do not contain ingredients that can produce an electromagnetic field.

All COVID-19 vaccines are free from metals.

COVID-19 vaccines also do not alter DNA, in contrast to popular myth. These do not change

or interact with it in any way. Both mRNA and viral vector COVID-19 vaccines deliver instructions or

genetic material to our cells to start building protection against the virus that causes COVID-19.

However, the material never enters the cell's nucleus, where our DNA is stored.

Last but not the least, people might also think that vaccination can make us sick with COVID-

19. CDC denies this claim and affirms that none of the authorized vaccines have any live virus that

can potentially cause infection to us. COVID-19 vaccines teach our immune systems to recognize

and fight the virus that causes COVID-19. Sometimes this process can cause symptoms, such as

fever. Nevertheless, these symptoms are conventional signs that our bodies are building protection

against the virus that causes COVID-19.

Vaccinating from COVID-19 may feel like jumping off a high cliff, but personally, there is

nothing much to be afraid of. Common myths and misconceptions surrounding the COVID-19

vaccines might be just a product of fear and skepticism, which is why sorting out the facts is crucial.

After all, all vaccines recognize the virus as their target. As Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus, the Director-

General of the WHO, highlights, "This is a time of facts, not fear. This is a time for rationality, not

rumors. This is a time for solidarity, not stigma."