Covid vaccine: A doctor dispels five myths about the coronavirus jabs
Coronavirus vaccine: UK exceeds 25 million first doses given
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One in 10 people reported negative sentiment towards the vaccine, as shown by the latest release from the Office for National Statistics. Dr Vithlani addresses why this would be.
The vaccine has been made too quickly
“Yes, the vaccine has been produced and approved quickly,” said Dr Vithlani. “But it’s important to remember that this is because of global efforts.
“Both financial and scientific experts have come together and focused on the task at hand.”
The doctor went on to say that prior research on the Ebola and Zika virus helped to inform current advancements.
He mentioned the “strict safety standards” regulatory bodies implement before allowing a vaccine to be rolled out.
The Covid vaccine will give me coronavirus
“None of the current COVID-19 vaccines contain live viruses,” assured Dr Vithlani.
He emphasised that “you will not develop COVID-19 due to having the vaccine”.
Dr Vithlani explained: “Vaccines work by teaching your immune system how to detect and fight off a specific organism in the event of an infection.”
In addition, “mild side effects” – such as flu-like symptoms – “indicate that your body is going through the learning process”.
Do note that it takes up to three weeks for the vaccine to provide protection.
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I’ve already had Covid, so I don’t need the vaccine
Although re-infection is “uncommon”, the health risks associated with coronavirus are still of concern.
This is why Dr Vithlani advises people to “still have the vaccine if it’s available to you”.
The length of time immunity exist post infection is still under investigation.
Once this data is gathered, it will “help dictate how frequently a follow-up vaccination may be required”.
The Covid vaccine will put a microchip in my arm
To put bluntly, Dr Vithlani said “this is not true or even possible!”.
“The vaccine works by allowing the immune system to detect a foreign body,” he reiterated.
He said the immune cells then “fight off anything that resembles that specific structure or organism”.
“Once this process is complete, the vaccine has done its job and is subsequently cleared from the body.”
There’s no point taking the vaccine unless everyone is vaccinated
With talk surrounding herd immunity, Dr Vithlani explained that “the idea of vaccinating more people in the population is to help those who are more vulnerable”.
Examples include babies and those who are unable to have the vaccine.
“Once an individual is vaccinated, they will develop protection through an immune response from their immune system,” he added.
Thus, the more people who are vaccinated, the better, he implied.
Dr Vithlani is the clinical lead at Qured – a government approved Covid testing kit service.
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