FAQs : COVID-19 Vaccines: Is It Safe ?

If you have doubts about whether to get a COVID-19 vaccine, you’re not alone:

1. Can I get COVID-19 from the vaccine?

Answer:        “It is absolutely, totally impossible for the vaccine to give anyone COVID. There is no mechanism by which that could occur,”

The reason, he explained, is because the vaccine does not contain the whole virus, so it can’t cause an infection. Instead, the vaccine helps the body’s immune system develop the tools to fight off future infections.

2. Can the vaccine cause infertility?

Answer:        There’s no evidence to support any claims that the vaccine can affect fertility, and that this isn’t something people should be concerned about.

“We have strong, unequivocal information that none of the vaccines available on the market have any impact on fertility,”

3. Should I get the vaccine if I’ve already had COVID-19?

Answer:        Anyone who has had COVID-19 to still get vaccinated because we currently do not know exactly how long immunity lasts after recovering from an infection.

The most recent research suggests immunity could last 8 months or longer, but experts say more research is needed. We would urge people to get vaccinated so that we, and you as the individual, have more confidence that you are protected for a longer period of time.

4. What about coronavirus variants?

Answer:        Reaching herd immunity is the only way to get the pandemic under control. “Herd immunity” is a scientific term. It means that enough people in the population have immunity to a disease to stop it from spreading. So, this is the most critical moment in this entire pandemic. We’re so close to the finish line. We are in a full flat-out race to the finish line to see whether we can get enough people vaccinated to create herd immunity before the variants do take over, or new variants emerge that will be resistant to the vaccines that we currently have.

5. What about side effects?

Answer:         We generally don’t use the term ‘side effects’ because it makes it seem as if this was something abnormal. What most people refer to [when they say they’re experiencing] side effects is [actually] the vaccine doing what it is intended to do, which is to ramp up the immune system,

While people may feel mildly uncomfortable for a short period of time with flu- and cold-like symptoms, these are merely the signs of the immune system responding to the vaccine and building immunity to fight the virus.

In most cases this discomfort pales in comparison to the seriousness of developing COVID-19 itself, which has killed more than 33,90,000 people in the World.

6. What does it mean when a vaccine is put on hold? Is it dangerous?

Answer:        Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in The US for pausing the Johnson & Johnson vaccine a few weeks back after reports of rare blood clots emerged. Acting out of an abundance of caution, scientists carefully evaluated the cases to determine the total number of vaccine-related incidents [and] the characteristics of the population of affected individuals. [They] were able to propose guidance that informs potentially at-risk persons as they make their own personal risk-benefit decisions regarding the use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine.

“The vaccine now carries a warning of a rare risk of blood clots. These clots were reported mostly in women ages 18 to 49”.

The CDC says people in this group should be aware that there are other COVID-19 vaccines available that do not have any reports about such blood clots.

7. The vaccines can lead to long-term effects?

Answer:        With vaccines, if there is going to be a complication or side effect (like an allergic reaction, for example) it will occur within minutes to hours of receiving the vaccine, If we’re not seeing serious side effects now, we can pretty much know it will be safe down the road.

8. People with underlying conditions shouldn’t get vaccinated?

Answer:        People who have underlying conditions—like diabetes and heart disease, for example—are at a high risk for getting complications from COVID-19, so it’s even more reason why they should get vaccinated. Talk with your doctor who is helping you manage the condition if you have concerns.

9 People with suppressed immune systems shouldn’t get vaccinated?

Answer:        People with suppressed immune systems (like from cancer treatments or autoimmune diseases) should definitely get vaccinated. “The vaccine will not hurt you since it doesn’t contain a live virus,” “Those with suppressed immune systems will still get protection from COVID-19, just not as much protection as those with healthy immune systems.” Again, talk with your doctor if you have specific concerns.

10 The COVID-19 vaccines will alter your DNA?

Answer:        The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines use messenger RNA (mRNA) to protect us from COVID-19, and I think that is where this rumour comes from, mRNA basically gives our cells the blueprints for the factories that will build the protein to protect us from COVID-19. People get scared that mRNA will cause the virus to go into our DNA and mutate us, but it does not even go into the centre part of the cell where we have our DNA.

11 If I’m pregnant or breastfeeding, I definitely shouldn’t get vaccinated?

Answer:        The CDC believes it is fine for pregnant women to get the vaccine. If you’re pregnant and in a group that should be urgently vaccinated, like a healthcare worker, you should get vaccinated. If you’re concerned about the risks versus the benefits, talk to your doctor. But we know pregnant women who contract viruses can have complications or pass diseases to their babies, and the same goes for breastfeeding. Since the vaccine is not a live virus, you can’t pass anything to the baby.

12 Once I get vaccinated, I don’t have to wear masks or practice social distancing?

Answer:        You absolutely still have to wear masks and social distance. If you’re walking around in public, how do you know who is vaccinated? And no vaccine is 100% effective. These vaccines are 95% effective, which is an incredibly high percentage, but that means there will still be 5% of people who won’t be protected. Get a vaccine, wear your mask and then a few months later, when we know that everyone has been vaccinated, we can go back to life the way it was

I believe the meticulous scientific review of the data and the transparency of the process will reinforce the confidence that the American people deserve to have regarding the overall vaccination campaign.