COVID-19 vaccines myth busting #2

People who have had COVID-19 and recovered should still be vaccinated.

The protection someone gains from having COVID-19 varies from person to person. Because this virus is new, experts don’t yet know how long any natural immunity might last.

Even if you have already had COVID-19, you should still get the COVID-19 vaccine when you can. You should discuss any treatments you had with your doctor before you get vaccinated. Australia has also been fortunate in having low numbers of COVID-19 infections and this means that the community as a whole has no immunity. This is why vaccination is so important to protect people from severe disease.

COVID-19 vaccines do not – and cannot – connect you to the internet.

Some of the mRNA vaccines being developed include the use of a material called a hydrogel, which might help disperse the vaccine slowly into our cells. Bioengineers have used similar hydrogels for many years in different ways. For instance, they’ve used them to help stem cells survive after being put inside our bodies. Because of this, some people believe that hydrogels are needed for electronic implants, which can connect to the internet.

The Pfizer mRNA vaccine does not use hydrogels as a component. The Pfizer mRNA vaccine contains a piece of mRNA which is coated in a lipid (fatty) droplet. The lipid helps the vaccine enter our cells, as the membrane holding our cells together is also made mostly of lipid. The vaccine and the membrane can fuse easily, depositing the mRNA inside the cell. 

The COVID-19 vaccine does not protect against the flu, so you should still have your annual flu shot.

It is recommended that people wait at least 7 days between a dose of seasonal flu vaccine and a dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. There’s no evidence that the 2 vaccinations interact with each other, this is a precautionary recommendation that allows for proper safety and monitoring for both vaccines.

If people experience common side effects from one vaccine, it will be clear which one if there is an appropriate gap between the vaccinations. So, the 7-day time frame is a precautionary measure to manage the common side effects that come with many vaccinations.

A shorter time frame is acceptable in certain circumstances:

– Increased risk of COVID-19 or another vaccine-preventable disease (for example COVID-19 outbreak, influenza outbreak,)

– Logistical issues (for example difficulty scheduling visits to maintain the 7 day interval)

There is no scientific evidence to support this.

None of the COVID-19 vaccines currently under review by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) cause sterilisation/infertility. The TGA will not approve a vaccine for use in Australia unless it is safe and effective. This includes impacts on fertility. The theory that COVID-19 vaccines cause infertility is based on the disproven idea that one of the spike proteins in COVID-19 and the Syncytin-1 protein (which help placenta development) are the same. They are not.

The COVID-19 vaccine, like other vaccines, works by training our bodies to develop antibodies to fight against the virus that causes COVID-19, to prevent future illness. There is currently no evidence that antibodies formed from COVID-19 vaccination cause any problems with pregnancy, including the development of the placenta.

In addition, there is no evidence suggesting that fertility problems are a side effect of ANY vaccine. People who are trying to become pregnant now or who plan to try in the future may receive the COVID-19 vaccine when it becomes available to them.