Debunking 9 Popular COVID-19 Vaccine Myths and Conspiracy Theories

There have been many misconceptions, conspiracy theories, and myths about the COVID-19 vaccine that continue to circulate online. In this blog, you can find some of them and get your facts checked:

Myth: Vaccines do not work

Former CDC chief medical officer and dean of New York Medical College School of Health Sciences and Practice, Dr. Robert Amler says, overwhelming evidence shows that vaccines have caused reductions in disease in the US and worldwide.

Vaccination can help to eradicate smallpox worldwide. Through vaccination, polio has been eliminated from Oceania, Europe, and Western Hemisphere; today only a few countries are left. Mass vaccination of COVID-19 resulted in a dramatic decline in the second quarter of 2021.

More than 170 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered. We are aware of the safety profile and use more vaccines that cause hospitalizations and death rates to diminish.

Myth: The COVID-19 vaccine makes you magnetic

In early June, Cleveland-based Dr. Sherri Tenpenny claimed that COVID-19 vaccines could turn people into magnets. The reason is because of the 5G telecommunication towers. While addressing Ohio lawmakers, she used her claim to justify the need for a bill to stop government and business agencies from the need for vaccinations.

Myth: The COVID-19 vaccines cause COVID-19 variants

The COVID-19 virus produces the variant and not the vaccines. The virus in a human being keeps multiplying and creating new viruses that generate genetic variation. When it happens, most variations are harmless with no effects.

It happens rarely that you get one mutation or a series of them coincidentally occurring that will create a variant and will continue to reproduce.

The variant can become more transmissible, like the most recent COVID variant, delta originated from India.

This strain fears that it might produce more illness and is starting to spread in the US and England. But the main point to note here is that the variant comes from the virus, not the vaccine.

Myth: The COVID-19 vaccines make you infertile

There has been a risk of infertility for decades and is used to frighten people away from legitimate treatments.

The myth is false when it comes to the COVID-19 vaccines because it doesn’t go near DNA in your cells. As per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the new mRNA vaccines teach our cells how to make a protein or just a piece of protein that may trigger the immune response inside our bodies.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) convened a national expert group on all aspects of reproduction and looked at the COVID-19 vaccine.

Myth: The government puts a microchip in the COVID-19 vaccine to track you

Conspiracy theories about the government regarding the use of vaccines to track people and billionaires or rich people behind the notion are false. The reason is chips are not small enough to fit or be inoculated with a needle. The COVID-19 vaccines are old-fashioned simple public health.

Myth: The Johnson & Johnson vaccine was created from fetal tissue

The misconception is derived from a grain of truth from the past vaccines that were amplified inappropriately.

It happened years back when a strain of cells was derived from a miscarriage. Its use initially was for general vaccine research for coronaviruses. However, it is not correct for the current vaccines. They do not consist of any fetal tissue.

Myth: Vaccines may cause autism

Andrew Wakefield, a British doctor, conducted research in 1998. The research claims a connection between autism and rubella, mumps, and measles vaccine. While publishing the study in the reputable journal Lancet, it was later retracted and found unethical and not factual. Because of this claim by Wakefield, he even lost his license in the UK.

Myth: COVID-19 vaccines cause long-term complications

It may come as a big surprise to most people, but the adverse effects associated with most vaccines become evident within 2-3 months of administration of the vaccine. Now, after millions of doses of COVID vaccines are given, we are aware of the side effects of the vaccine.

Conclusion

Falsehoods and misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccines have made their way into social media and beyond. You must not believe them and instead, rely on facts and figures.

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