(RxWiki News) There's a good chance that someone you know has been repeating myths about COVID-19 vaccines. We're here to help you learn the truth.
In a time of uncertainty and a pandemic that seems to change every day, knowing the truth about the best way to prevent COVID-19 has never been more important.
To learn the truth about several COVID-19 myths, keep reading.
Myth: COVID-19 Vaccines Will Cause Fertility Issues
Fact: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there is no reason to believe that a COVID-19 vaccine — or any other approved vaccine, for that matter — can cause fertility issues. That goes for women and men.
Myth: Getting a COVID-19 Vaccine Can Make You Magnetic
Fact: There are no metals or magnetic materials in any of the three COVID-19 vaccines approved for use in the United States, the CDC said. Also, none of the vaccines have ingredients in them that could spark an electromagnetic field at the injection site or anywhere else in your body.
Myth: The COVID-19 Vaccines Will Change Your DNA
Fact: The two approved mRNA vaccines and the viral vector vaccine do send genetic material to your cells to teach them how to fight the virus that causes COVID-19. However, no part of these vaccines ever comes into the nucleus of your cells, which is the part of the cell that contains DNA. That means there is no way for the vaccines to alter your DNA, according to the CDC.
Myth: Federal Health Officials Can Force You to Get a COVID-19 Vaccine
Fact: This myth is particularly popular on social media, but it's not true. The federal government and the CDC (which is a federal agency) do not force anyone to get COVID-19 vaccines. However, employers and state and municipal governments may be able to mandate certain vaccines in certain situations.
Myth: Being Around Someone Who Has Been Vaccinated Can Change Your Menstrual Cycle
Fact: Stress, exercise, infections, changes in your diet and many other factors can affect your menstrual cycle, but getting the COVID-19 vaccine isn't one of those factors, the CDC reported. And there isn't a shred of evidence to suggest that being near a vaccinated person could affect your menstrual cycle, either.
Myth: COVID-19 Vaccines Will Make You Test Positive on a COVID-19 Test
Fact: Viral COVID-19 tests look for an active infection in your body. Because none of the approved COVID-19 vaccines contain the virus that causes COVID-19, getting one of these vaccines can't make you test positive on a viral test, the CDC said. However, it's important not to confuse viral tests with antibody tests. Antibody tests seek to determine whether you have had a COVID-19 infection in the past by testing for the antibodies your body forms to fight off COVID-19. In some cases, a COVID-19 vaccine could make you test positive on an antibody test.
Myth: Getting Vaccinated Can Make You Sick with COVID-19
Fact: As the COVID-19 vaccine teaches your body how to fight the virus, you may experience some mild symptoms typically associated with COVID-19. But this is not the same thing as being sick from a COVID-19 infection. The vaccines don't contain the live virus, so they can't infect you with COVID-19, according to the CDC. Symptoms from vaccination typically resolve in a day or two.
If you have questions about COVID-19 vaccines, speak with your doctor or community pharmacist.
