Mythbusting: You cannot get COVID-19 from the vaccines … and other truths

With the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announcing emergency use authorization for the Johnson& Johnson single-dose COVID-19 vaccine, UCLA Health experts are continuing to share medically sound, evidence-based information about the safety and effectiveness of all of the vaccines.Here we dispel some common myths that have cropped up.Myth 1: I can get COVID-19 from the vaccinesNot true. You cannot get COVID-19 from the vaccines.None of the vaccines contain the live virus that causes COVID-19. All of the vaccines increase your body ’s immune response by spurring it to make antibodies that block the SARS-CoV-2 virus from entering your cells. If the virus can’t enter your cells, it can’t reproduce and make you sick.The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines both use mRNA technology and do not contain a live virus. The Johnson& Johnson vaccine also does not contain a live virus but does contain a “viral vector” technology, which uses a harmless, inactivated cold virus to activate your body’s immune response to COVID-19. Myth 2: I don ’t need to wear a mask after getting vaccinatedThough the vaccines are highly effective, there is still a small chance of getting infected. Continue to wear a mask for everyone ’s safety.Following public health guidelines, such as wearing a face covering, practicing physical distancing and avoiding indoor crowds, remains important and the best way to keep everyone as safe as possible.Myth 3: The vaccine could alter my DNANo. There is n...
Source: UCLA Newsroom: Health Sciences - Category: Universities & Medical Training Source Type: news