The internet is great. We love the internet. Without it, you wouldn't be reading these words right now. And for that, we are eternally grateful for the internet.
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With that out of the way, I think we can all agree the internet is the absolute worst sometimes. Particularly when it comes to misinformation. And listen, we're not here to judge — there's a lot of noise floating around out there just begging to be shared on your Uncle John's Facebook page.
To cut through the clutter, we sat down with Dr. Alejandro Herrera, an infectious disease expert at Virtua Health, to chat through the top 3 COVID-19 vaccine myths circulating through social media. (#sorrynotsorry Uncle John)
Myth #1: The vaccine was rushed
With the vaccine being produced, tested, approved, and delivered in under a year — it's fair to assume that corners were cut. But that doesn't quite tell the whole story.
"The technology used for these vaccines has been in development for years," says Dr. Herrera. "With COVID-19, researchers transitioned their attention to this particular virus when developing vaccines.
In terms of testing, each vaccine met strict safety standards that were on par with traditional vaccine studies.”
Myth #2: The vaccine alters my DNA
This myth has gained a lot of attention, and perhaps it stems from the nature of the vaccines. So without getting to medical-y — we'll try and break it down.
Essentially, Pfizer and Moderna's vaccines are mRNA vaccines, a new type of vaccine that teaches your body how to produce antibodies to protect you from COVID-19. Johnson & Johnson's vaccine is more traditional in that it uses a harmless, genetically modified common cold virus to teach your body how to produce antibodies against COVID.
"It's important to know that neither vaccine alters your DNA in any conceivable way," says Dr. Herrera. "To be honest, the science behind it is pretty cool."
Myth #3: I'll catch COVID from the vaccine
"There is a 0% chance you will get COVID from receiving the vaccine," says Dr. Herrera. "In fact, there's not a single live COVID particle in either vaccine."
If you'd like to learn more about each vaccine, Virtua Health created a vaccine resource center filled with facts, insights, and answers to frequently asked questions. You can check it out by clicking here.
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