It’s disheartening to hear of anyone, let alone healthcare providers, say they are not getting the COVID vaccine because they think it’s unsafe. “Where did you hear that?” I ask… “Facebook”… of course. I would have figured by now that even healthcare providers would know better than to blindly trust social media for scientific information.
I tried to provide a more rational and factual look at the COVID data earlier this year instead of relying on social posts & news media. There was so much misinformation & division in our country at the time…and now it looks like it’s time to bring some ‘truth’ back to Facebook about COVID. So I’m going to give it another go.
I’m very open to intelligent, evidence-led discussions. And happy to try and answer any questions my friends have using as much credible research as possible.
Up first: COVID Vaccine Mythbusters:
1. While this vaccine was ‘quickly’ brought through FDA approval, these companies (like Moderna) have been working on this specific vaccine technology for years, so the system was ‘primed’ for the vaccine to be ready.
2. These vaccines have been safely tested in many people around the world through clinical trials of at least 30,000 folks each, and side effects tracked vigorously. Yes, there are a few potential side effects as with anything. And the allergic reactions reported are in generally in people with known allergies.
3. I’ve heard someone claim the vaccine can lead to sterility. I have no idea where this comes from. When you hear these type of potential side effects that are ‘long term’ think to yourself: this vaccine has only been out for a few months. How can they be sure about these long term effects at this point??
4. This vaccine is NOT the virus. It does not create the virus in you. These vaccines work by amazing technology using mRNA or injecting the protein components to prime the immune system to build the antibodies that fight the virus. It cannot alter your DNA. And they do not contain microchip tracking devices.
The 2 main vaccines are 95% effective. That’s amazing. That’s better than the annual flu vaccine. I didn’t believe it when I heard it. But if you really want to get back to our ‘normal’ lives, we need as many people to be vaccinated as possible for the so-called ‘herd immunity’.
I too was skeptical at first about this vaccine. But as I learned the facts, I became convinced by the FACTS that this is safe and effective. So please get the shot like I did. And wear your damn mask.
