People fear that the mRNA can enter the cell and make changes in our DNA found in the nucleus. If you’re worried about DNA changes, rest easy.
According to experts, while the mRNA enters the cell to do their job, they do not enter the nucleus. This means they cannot interact with our DNA, making it impossible to alter our genes.
Fear #5: Is the COVID vaccine safe regardless of brand? I’m waiting for the “most effective” vaccine
Of course, the fear of not receiving the most effective vaccine is also there.
Presented with two vaccines, one with an efficacy rate of 50% and the other 90%, it’s natural for us to prefer the latter. But doctors remind us that while the efficacy rate is important, they are not comparable between brands. After all, most vaccines are similar in effectiveness in preventing severe COVID-19 that warrants hospitalization.
Efficacy rate refers to the reduction of disease in a clinical trial; effectiveness is how it performs in the real world. The bottom line is, a low efficacy rate doesn’t mean that it’s less effective in the real world.
Fear #6: Is the COVID vaccine safe and effective? They say nothing changes after I get the vaccine
Common fears about the COVID vaccine include experiencing no change at all. People feel that they would be as hampered as they were before they didn’t have the vaccine yet, so why bother?
When enough people get vaccinated, we look forward to being able to follow and enjoy revised recommendations for vaccinated individuals, as in countries with a higher vaccination percentage.
In the US, vaccinated individuals can:
- Gather indoors with vaccinated people without a mask and physical distancing.
- Gather indoors with unvaccinated people without a mask and physical distancing provided they, and the people they live with, are not at risk of severe COVID.
- Travel without swab tests in some areas or countries.
We cannot adopt these measures yet because only a small percentage of our population are fully vaccinated to date. But we look forward to being able to do so in the future, that is, if we all do our part.
The Bottom Line
So is the COVID vaccine safe and effective? The COVID vaccine protects you from severe infection. So don’t let these common fears stop you from getting your shot once it’s available. Additionally, with the threat of COVID variants, which emerge due to ongoing transmission throughout the world, vaccines can help curb the case rates and ultimately, the pandemic.
Learn more about Coronavirus here.
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