Clearing myths and misinformation surrounding COVID-19 vaccines right now
A lot has been said about the efficacy and safety of coronavirus vaccines being used right now.
At least 4 major vaccines are being administered right now. Discovery of severe reactions after vaccination have only added to fears, making people wonder if vaccines right now are safe to use, and would it be wiser to wait for a while.
Are vaccines safe? Should you get vaccinated right now?
While most of the vaccines brought into use are experimentally made, all of them do carry a high safety rate. Severe side-effects right now, are still on the rarer end. Growing vaccine hesitancy rates are only surging, which is a threat to the pandemic.
There is also a lot of misinformation and myths which surround the vaccines, which can stop people from getting vaccinated.
We clear out a few of them for you:
Can COVID-19 vaccines cause infertility?
One of the biggest myths surrounding coronavirus vaccines is that they can cause life-long complications and manifest into health problems- such as infertility in both men and women.
Some believe that new-age vaccines contain chemicals and ingredients which can harm the body. This is not true at all. Not only are the ingredients used in the making of the vaccine listed on vaccine factsheets, but most vaccines are also developed using variations and strains similar to the virus or infectious germ, meaning they only help ‘train’ the immune system to recognize the pathogen.
The same is also true for the vaccines used in India. There is no scientific evidence or clinical study to prove that either of the two vaccines used in India- Covaxin and Covishield, both traditional vaccines, can cause serious problems such as the ones being rumoured.
Are adverse reactions possible? How many have taken place in India?
Adverse events after inoculation, categorized as AEFI are said to be a medical occurrence which can happen after immunization, related or unrelated to the vaccine, which can be unexpected or dangerous in nature.
While vaccines do create some side-effects which are usually mild and reactogenic in nature, sometimes, unprecedented reactions may also take place. However, they rarely occur. There are only a few documented cases for the same.
In India, nearly 447 adverse reactions have been reported out of 2.1 lakh vaccinations so far. Less than 5 have been reported to be serious in nature or related to the vaccine. 2 deaths have been recorded, which, again have not been linked to the vaccine.
Globally, the most severe reactions have been recorded with the Pfizer vaccine, which led to 30 deaths that may or may not be linked to inoculation.
Do remember, vaccines are generally safe to use and the risk of complications is relatively low.
In the lack of well-backed research and investigation, it would be difficult to link all adverse reactions to the vaccines being used right now. Further investigation will be needed to confirm the same.
Can you still catch COVID-19 with the vaccine shot?
For a vaccine to do its job well, proper administration and precautions have to be followed. With all the vaccines administered right now, 2 dose-schedule have been mandated.
It is also said that the innate immunity only develops after all doses have been administered. If a person does not get both the doses of the vaccine, he or she is bound to be at a higher risk for catching COVID-19 infection.
Should people who have already had COVID-19 get vaccinated?
People who have already contracted COVID-19 may have developed immunity, but how long the immunity lasts is not clinically known yet. Antibodies can also wane over time, depending on your age, risk factors, history of illness.
Since a lot of countries are also seeing cases of reinfection, opting to get vaccinated will be a good measure to protect yourself and the ones around you from danger.
The same way, even after a vaccine shot, people will be requiring masks, sanitisers and need to practice disinfection meausres for the foreseeable future, until we achieve mass immunization.
What happens if you are sick when your turn for vaccination comes up?
Again, there is no scientific evidence to suggest yet that COVID-19 vaccines or any other vaccines being used right now will be totally ineffective against infections such as a cold, or viral fever.
However, getting vaccinated when you are sick may be a personal choice you may have to make- since your immune system might already be fighting off active infections, a new vaccine shot may take additional time to develop. If you have any active symptoms or are on medications which can deter the workings of the vaccine, it would be a good idea to inform your healthcare provider first.
The only ones who are allowed to make an exemption from the list are the ones who may be recovering from COVID-19, have an active infection, or have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, since they may be able to spread the virus onto others in the centre.
As per health protocols, those with active or fairly recent exposure to COVID-19 should delay vaccination for 4-8 weeks.