By Nneka Nwogwugwu
Vaccines are designed to give you immunity without the dangers of getting the disease.
COVID-19 vaccines are safe, and getting vaccinated will help protect you against developing severe COVID-19 disease and dying from COVID-19, the World Health Organisation (WHO) stated.
However, people have developed myths about the vaccines, thereby leading lots of people to be afraid of vaccination.
In this report, NatureNews has gathered five things COVID-19 vaccines won’t do to your health.
COVID-19 vaccines won’t:
• Affect infertility
• Reduce life expectancy
• Pregnancy complications like miscarriages
• Alter DNA
• Install tracking device
In explaining further, a Professor of Virology at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, David Olaleye, debunked the reports that it affects fertility, conception for women and reduction of life expectancy.
In an interview with the Nation, he said, “ I can tell you that there is nothing; absolutely nothing related in any way to show that the vaccine has such component to cause infertility.
“It was the same as the time with the polio vaccine. But the response was engaging the traditional institution to help make people better informed.
“That is what we must continue to do; people will come up with all kinds of mischief and hypothesis, as scientists we need to constantly use science and information to educate the public.”
Dr. Rachel Humphrey, the Director of perinatology at AdventHealth in Orlando, dispelled the myth of pregnancy complications to News 6.
She said, “So, there was definitely some misinformation that got spread through social media, that somehow either the vaccine itself, or the immunity that comes from the vaccine could somehow cause infertility or even miscarriages.
“The answer is no. And so what we know from many women who’ve actually been infected and have natural immunity, as well as people who’ve been vaccinated, is that the immunity or antibodies that you develop are not associated with infertility and don’t cause miscarriage.”
Health care also explained further that COVID-19 vaccine will not alter DNA and install tracking devices.
“The first vaccines granted emergency use authorization contain messenger RNA (mRNA), which instructs cells to make the “spike protein” found on the new coronavirus.
“When the immune system recognizes this protein, it builds an immune response by creating antibodies — teaching the body how to protect against future infection.
“ The mRNA never enters the nucleus of the cell, which is where our DNA (genetic material) is kept. The body gets rid of the mRNA soon after it’s finished using the instructions.
“ A video shared thousands of times on Facebook makes false claims about the products of syringe maker Apiject Systems of America, which has a contract with the government to provide medical-grade injection devices for vaccines.
“ The company has an optional version of its product that contains a microchip within the syringe label that helps providers confirm a vaccine dose’s origin. The chip itself is not injected into the person getting the vaccine.”
WHO noted that it’s common to experience some mild-to-moderate side effects when receiving vaccinations. This is because your immune system is instructing your body to react in certain ways: it increases blood flow so more immune cells can circulate, and it raises your body temperature in order to kill the virus.
Mild-to-moderate side effects, like a low-grade fever or muscle aches, are normal and not a cause for alarm: they are signs that the body’s immune system is responding to the vaccine, specifically the antigen (a substance that triggers an immune response), and is gearing up to fight the virus. These side effects usually go away on their own after a few days.
Common and mild or moderate side effects are a good thing: they show us that the vaccine is working. Experiencing no side effects doesn’t mean the vaccine is ineffective. It means everybody responds differently.
