For those who hesitate to vaccinate, what are some common vaccine myths and how can each of us work to deal with these misconceptions?
We spoke with CNN medical analyst, Dr. Leana Wen, an emergency physician and visiting professor at the Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University, about how everyone can unmask myths, assuage concerns and spread accurate information about Covid-19 vaccines. .
CNN: Why is it important for everyone to know what myths are circulating about coronavirus vaccines?
Dr. Leana Wen: One of the key principles of public health is that the messenger is often more important than the message. You are the most trusted messenger for someone. They can be your parents, your co-workers or your friends. Vaccinating people is our best hope of ending this pandemic and we need everyone’s help to convince people to do so.
Another principle of public health is to find people where they are. This means trying to understand why someone might hesitate about the coronavirus vaccine. The way you approach someone will be completely different if they are concerned that the vaccine is safe and if they do not believe the coronavirus is real. Listening to someone’s concerns and then addressing them with compassion and empathy is crucial.
There are common myths that I tend to hear from my patients, but there are things that each of us can say if someone around us expresses those myths.
CNN: Let’s talk about the safety of the vaccine. There must be many myths surrounding this.
Wen: A common myth is that getting the coronavirus vaccine will give you the coronavirus. I hear this every year when it comes to the flu vaccine: often, patients say they don’t want to get the flu vaccine because they think they will get the flu with it.
Nor is it true. If anyone is concerned about this, you can say that none of the coronavirus vaccines tested in the United States contain live viruses. Therefore, it is not possible to obtain the coronavirus with the coronavirus vaccine.
Another set of myths is around the mRNA platform that is used for the Pfizer / BioNTech and Moderna vaccines. I’ve heard people worry about whether the vaccine will affect their genetic code in some way and alter their genes.
This is not true. It is useful to explain what mRNA technology is. The term “mRNA” means messenger RNA, which is a part of the genetic code that teaches cells to make a protein. The protein that is produced by the mRNA activates an immune response, teaching our body to respond to the coronavirus if we come into contact with it in the future.
What is very important to understand is what mRNA does not do: it never enters the nucleus of people’s cells, which is where our DNA is contained. This means that the vaccine does not interact with people’s DNA and, therefore, will not alter our genetic code.
CNN: mRNA technology is a new technology. Many fear that it is too young and that it was developed too fast.
Wen: There are two points here and two ways to address this concern. First, mRNA technology has been in development for more than a decade. Second, I think it is essential to explain that no shortcuts have been taken in the processes of scientific research or approval. Yes, scientists developed vaccines in record time. But that’s because the entire global scientific community has started to work. They did not start from scratch; after the SARS and MERS outbreaks, a lot of work has already started to start developing the vaccine.
The United States government and other governments have invested a lot of money in research. And frankly, we were lucky with the research to already have two vaccines that are safe and just as effective. But all phases of clinical research have been followed as with other vaccines, with tens of thousands of volunteers in clinical trials. External committees of independent scientists examined the data and there were no shortcuts in vaccine authorization.
CNN: What about allergic reactions? Isn’t there also a myth that these vaccines cause many allergic reactions and are therefore not safe?
Wen: It is true that there have been some reports of allergic reactions to vaccines. Allergic reactions can occur to almost any medical product. In the emergency room, we treat allergic reactions to food and medication all the time. They are much easier to treat than Covid-19.
At the moment, it is not clear why these very rare allergic reactions are happening. That is why everyone who receives the Covid-19 vaccine must remain there 15 minutes after receiving it. And if you have a history of serious allergic reactions, you may need to wait 30 minutes. If a severe allergic reaction occurs, it can be treated with EpiPen.
CNN: Here’s another myth – we don’t know how long the vaccine provides immunity to, so there’s no reason to get it.
Wen: It is here that recognizing that the myth comes from a place of some truth is a good starting point. It is true that we do not know how long the vaccine’s immunity will last. Studies so far suggest that it should last at least several months, but we don’t know whether the immunological protection of the vaccine decreases over time. It is also possible that sufficient mutations will arise so that new vaccines need to be configured, and people who have already received the vaccine may need a booster injection – as is the case with the tetanus vaccine. It may be that the coronavirus vaccine becomes something you need to take every year, like the flu vaccine.
But just because you may need to get the vaccine again at some point, it doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t get it the first time. Think about the flu vaccine: just because you have to take it every year, it doesn’t mean you should never get it.
CNN: What about young, healthy people saying that only those who are elderly or with underlying medical problems should get the vaccine?
Wen: At this time, when there is limited supply of the vaccine, we must prioritize those who are most likely to become seriously ill to receive the vaccine first. Eventually, when there is enough supply, we want everyone to get the vaccine.
Here’s why. First, even those who are young and healthy can contract the coronavirus and become very sick. It is less common, but deaths also occur in this population. Second, we need to strive for collective immunity through vaccination. This is the level at which the virus will substantially decrease and, hopefully, even stop its spread. Public health experts like Dr. Anthony Fauci estimate that we need about 70% to 85% of the vaccinated population to reach this point.
The sooner we vaccinate people, the sooner we can all return to some appearance of pre-pandemic normality and end the devastation of this disease. And that requires not only the elderly and the most vulnerable, but all of us getting the vaccine.
CNN: I’m sure you’ve met people who think they can stop using the mask after getting the vaccine.
Wen: Our understanding now is that the Covid-19 vaccine prevents someone from getting sick, and the vaccine also protects against serious illnesses that result in hospitalization and deaths. This is very important. But we don’t know if the vaccine prevents someone from having the coronavirus that can infect others. In addition, the vaccine appears to be 95% effective, which is incredible, but it is not 100%.
That’s why people still need to be careful, even after being vaccinated. At some point, however, as we address herd immunity through vaccination, we may end up with masks. In the meantime, think of vaccines as a tool that does not replace other tools, but is essential for saving lives.
CNN: What about people who say they are concerned about the long-term effects and think that as long as enough people get the vaccine, they don’t have to worry?
Wen: This point of view based on some truth must be approached with compassion and empathy. Various surveys show that many Americans prefer not to be the first to be vaccinated. There are many Americans who want to be the first, and at the moment, the demand is much greater than the supply.
Over the next few months, many millions will be vaccinated. It is reasonable to point to these examples of people to say that we are showing, not just in tens of thousands of research participants, but in tens of millions of people, that the vaccine is safe and effective. Getting yourself vaccinated when your turn comes and showing other examples of people in the community who have been vaccinated will also go a long way in persuading reluctant friends and relatives.
Humility and honesty are fundamental. We must recognize that vaccines are relatively new, so we don’t know the long-term consequences. But then add that there is no reason to believe that vaccines will cause harmful effects in the long run. We have a long history of vaccine development and, scientifically, there is no evidence of long-term damage with these vaccines.
We know that Covid-19 can cause serious illness and death. We know that thousands of Americans die every day. These are also our family, friends and colleagues. That is why getting the vaccine is so important. We are in the middle of a pandemic and we need all of us to protect ourselves and others as well.