Covid-19 Vaccination Mythbusters

We are all aware that we are passing through the Covid-19 pandemic which has wreaked havoc across the length and breadth of the country. Mass scale immunization remains the key to develop sufficient immunity against the virus. In the light of the above, Government of India has started the vaccination drive for all adults above 18 years of age. As we are undergoing the process of vaccination, there are sporadic news being circulated that the Vaccine is causing adverse reactions and many people who have taken the vaccine are developing the infection themselves.

Therefore it is necessary to demystify the myths surrounding Covid-19 vaccination. Let us look at the top 5 myths and place the facts:-

MYTH: The Vaccine itself contains the Virus. Therefore after taking the vaccine, many people are getting infected

FACT: The Vaccine does not contains the Virus. It just contains the immunity triggering component that helps the body develop antibodies so that when the Virus will enter our body, it is prepared to generate a cascading immunological process to fight the Virus.

MYTH: Many people have reported adverse reactions after taking the Vaccine

FACT: As per MOHFW data, more than 43 Crore Indians above 18 years of age have taken at least one dose of the Vaccination and so far the AEFI (Adverse Effect Following Immunization) is just 0.007%. So one should not panic or deter from taking the vaccine.

MYTH: I have developed fever and body pain after taking the vaccine. This is a side effect of the vaccine

FACT: Developingfever and body ache after taking the Vaccine dose is actually very normal. As mentioned before, the vaccine contains specific immunity triggering components, so once we take the vaccine, the body triggers an immunological process to build specific antibodies against those components. The fever, body pain, malaise etc. are just part of the immunological response and in fact such a response actually means that the body is working on the response to the vaccine.

MYTH: The Vaccine may cause impotency

FACT: Till date, in the numerous studies conducted across the globe and in India, there is no data that suggests any link between Covid-19 vaccination and impotency.

MYTH: Covid vaccine contains animal serum

FACT: No animal serum is used in the manufacture of the vaccine. Some vaccine used animal serum only for the preparation/ growth of the vero cells and the actual vaccine does not contain any animal serum