Test Myth

What’s Holding You Back? Three Vaccine Myths Busted

MYTH

FACT

vs.

Covid-19 Vaccine

Myth 1

“A friend of a friend had a severe reaction so I probably will too”

Covid-19 Vaccine

Fact

Social media has the unfortunate habit of spreading scary headlines far and wide, while ignoring this more boring truth: Health Canada reports fewer than 4,000 serious reactions to the vaccine—an infinitely small 0.007 percent. Like those who received the almost 50 million non-eventful doses administered in Canada, you can expect mild symptoms like a sore arm, headache, or fatigue. But don’t let this scare you in the least. “Every single pill in your medicine cabinet has side effects,” Anand says.

Covid-19 Vaccine

Myth 2

“The vaccine will alter my—or my future children’s—DNA”

Covid-19 Vaccine

Fact

Whatever conspiracy theories are being spouted on Reddit, this rumour is just wrong. “The protein in the vaccine never even interacts with your DNA,” Anand explains. All the vaccines deliver instructions (genetic material) to cells to start building protection against COVID-19, but the material never enters the cell’s nucleus (where the DNA is stored). Moreover, the protein is naturally destroyed in your body a short time after vaccination – when your body starts making protective antibodies.

Covid-19 Vaccine

Myth 3

“The vaccine is an experiment that was developed too fast”

Covid-19 Vaccine

Fact

“The process might have been quicker than usual, yes, but only because countries all around the world worked together and skipped all the red tape,” Anand explains. For the record: no steps were skipped in the development of the vaccine, and all safety procedures were followed. If the process seems faster than ever, you can thank the scientific community for working overtime.