A local medical expert shatters myths about the COVID-19 vaccine

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Since the start of Florida’s COVID-19 vaccine launch plan, medical experts at several hospitals say they are alarmed to see how quickly misinformation about the vaccine is spreading online.

We spoke with a medical expert willing to dismiss the five main myths he sees circulating on social media and why he says fighting them with accurate information is a priority.

“It has consequences (of) consequences far below. We’ve seen this in the past with measles outbreaks, so it’s even more important to fight COVID-19 now, ”said Rachel Guran, director of epidemiology and infection prevention at Memorial Healthcare System.

Guran, the COVID-19 vaccine myth, said vaccine misinformation travels as fast as COVID-19.

Myth 1: The COVID-19 vaccine will affect fertility

“It is very serious, especially with people in my age group, women and men aged 30 to 40, who want to have more children or who have not yet had any children. It is important to let them know that this myth is not based on any kind of science. There is nothing to suggest that the content of the COVID-19 vaccine would have any effect on someone’s fertility, as well as on pregnant or breastfeeding mothers. It is not a contraindication a condition or a factor that serves as a reason to withhold a certain medical treatment due to the damage it would cause to the patient, so that he also receives the vaccine. There are pseudosciences related to how the mRNA vaccine would work and it is similar to the cell types in the uterus, but there is nothing to suggest that our body is not smart enough to know the difference between the antibody response and our uterus. cells. “

Myth 2: It developed too quickly

There is nothing to suggest that the Food and Drug Administration has taken shortcuts, as well as the Centers for Disease Control and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), the advisory committee on immunization practices. They are made up of independent scientists and doctors and they are not the ones who buy and pay and they are the ones who read the data and make the recommendations. “

Myth 3: I have allergies, so I can’t get the vaccine

“We have seen reports of people with severe allergic reactions (reactions) after the COVID-19 vaccine, but so far the only contraindications, people who should not receive the vaccine, are people who have a reaction to severe allergic to the ingredients in the vaccine.This is a very easy list to get what these ingredients are, otherwise if you have a history of allergies to drugs or anything else, you can still get the vaccine, there is only one precaution: you will have to wait 30 minutes after the vaccine. (so the medical staff) can make sure it is okay “.

What are the ingredients of the Pfizer covid-19 vaccine?

The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine includes the following ingredients: mRNA, lipids ((4-hydroxybutyl) azanediyl) bis (hexane-6,1-diyl) bis (2-hexyldecanoate), 2[(polyethylene glycol)-2000]-N, N-ditetradecylacetamide, 1,2-Distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine and cholesterol), potassium chloride, monobasic potassium phosphate, sodium chloride, dibasic sodium phosphate dihydrate and sucrose. “

(See the Pfizer fact sheet given to people before receiving the vaccine.)

What are the ingredients of the Modern COVID-19 vaccine?

The Modern COVID-19 vaccine contains the following ingredients: messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA), lipids (SM-102, polyethylene glycol [PEG] 2000 dimyristoyl glycerol [DMG], cholesterol and 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine [DSPC]), tromethamine, tromethamine hydrochloride, acetic acid, sodium acetate and sucrose. “

(See the fact sheet on Moderna given to people before they receive the vaccine)

Myth 4: The COVID-19 vaccine will give me COVID

“The COVID-19 vaccine is not a live virus, so it can’t give you COVID.”

Myth 5: Now that there’s a vaccine, I don’t have to wear a mask

“Until we have a widespread adoption of the vaccine to make it accessible and learn how the vaccine really protects us, we must continue to mask ourselves and physically distance ourselves. We need to continue all these things to make sure our pandemic ends. We want to return to normal. The vaccine is the way we can get back to normal. ”

What is the last food to take away these myths?

“Look at reputable sources, which would be the CDC and the FDA, your doctors and pharmacists and the people who really provide this good, reliable and accurate information.”

And if you have any questions, talk to your doctor and not your Facebook friend.

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