VAX FACTS
The truth about some COVID-19 Vaccine myths
Boosters Help Maintain Immunity
It is not uncommon for protection from a vaccine to decrease over time, especially as new variants of a virus develop. Boosters give vaccinated individuals added protection against infection and serious complications.
Vaccines Help Prevent Variants and Protect Others in Your Community
Variants of viruses develop as the virus is passed from person to person and mutates. If the virus can’t spread, it can’t mutate, which is why high vaccination rates are so important. The only way to stop new variants is to stop the spread of the virus.
COVID‑19 Vaccines Are Safe
Vaccines can’t change or influence our DNA. The messenger RNA (mRNA) used in some of the COVID‑19 vaccines does not enter the nucleus (where our DNA is contained) and breaks down after a few hours.
The vaccines can’t give you COVID‑19. They contain only a piece of the virus or instructions for creating one of the virus’ proteins. People can still get infected by the virus after vaccination if they are exposed to the virus soon after vaccination, or if their immunity has started to decrease over time. However, the vaccine is never the cause of COVID‑19.
There is no evidence that the COVID‑19 vaccines affect fertility in men or women, and they are safe and recommended for use in pregnancy.
You Still Need a Vaccine Even if You’ve Already Had COVID‑19
While previous COVID-19 does offer some protection against new infections, experts believe this protection begins to decline in as little as three months after infection. (Swartz 2023)
People vaccinated for COVID‑19 have a far lower risk of hospitalization and death than those who are unvaccinated. When news reports say that more vaccinated than unvaccinated people are dying, this is because:
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There are 3.8 times more fully vaccinated than unvaccinated people in the U.S.; and
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Fully vaccinated people are more likely to be older, frailer, and at higher risk of complications.
Serious Vaccine Side Effects Are Rare
It’s not uncommon to have short-term pain, redness, or swelling at the site of the vaccine. People may also experience tiredness, headache, muscle pain, chills, fever, or nausea. These reactions are symptoms of the body building up protection against the virus, but serious side effects from the COVID‑19 vaccines are rare.
Serious side effects like blood clots and related conditions, and myocarditis (inflammation/swelling of the heart) or pericarditis (inflammation/swelling of the membrane-sack that encloses the heart) are EXTREMELY rare.