The COVID-19 vaccine was developed faster than any other vaccine in history, which has led to some reservations about its safety.
The COVID-19 vaccines were fast-tracked, but this does not mean they are unsafe. Just like any other vaccine, they were put through laboratory trials and three phases of clinical trials to determine their safety and effectiveness. The fast-tracked elements did not affect the accuracy of trial results. Enrolment and follow-up with patients in clinical trials were within a normal time frame, and the vaccines still went through the submission process and review by the FDA.
The vaccine was built quickly because scientists around the world collaborated and shared their datasets, and it was built on previous research into other coronaviruses.
Governments also fast-tracked clinical trials and vaccine approvals. The vaccines were also developed with readily available materials.
Despite these facts, misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccine continues to be an obstacle. Common myths about the coronavirus vaccine are that they are mandated; currently, there is no requirement anywhere in the U.S. for the vaccine.
You can’t get coronavirus from the vaccine because it does not contain any active viral material. People often assume that you don’t need a vaccine if you have already been sick, but this is not the case. You should be vaccinated to prevent reinfection. Similarly, the vaccine will not end masks and social distancing immediately. Full protection may not develop until weeks after the second shot, and vaccinated people may still be able to act as asymptomatic spreaders. The vaccine does not cause autism or damage to children or babies, nor does it weaken the immune system.
Vaccines do protect you against COVID-19, and they do protect others by helping build herd immunity. Currently, there are two authorized vaccines, Pfizer and Moderna, and another three that are in the final phase of clinical trials.
So who gets the COVID-19 vaccine?
The CDC recommends that healthcare workers and long-term residents receive vaccines first, then frontline essential workers and people 75 years or older, and finally, younger people and the rest of the essential worker population. Vaccines will be distributed through schools, nursing homes, commercial pharmacies, healthcare facilities, community centers, and large chain grocery stores.
Following your local health department and watching state press conferences can alert you when you are eligible to receive a vaccine. Fight misinformation. Spread just the facts about the COVID vaccine.
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