Since the vaccines against COVID-19 are developed in a record short period of time, there are a lot of misconceptions around the subject. The outbreak of the COVID-19 Pandemic last year took the scientific community by surprise. SARS-COV-2 virus which causes coronavirus disease is a novel virus and no cure for the virus was available. It caused infections in country after country and spread throughout the world like wildfire. Scientists and researchers deserve applause for being able to develop vaccines in a record short time against this deadly virus. Given that vaccines are the only available defense against this disease, it is important to bust myths around vaccination arising due to Vaccine misinformation. And it is also important to acknowledge that vaccines are the only hope to save lives and livelihoods.
1. Myth: Vaccines are unsafe because they were developed too early
Fact: It has been decades of scientific advances and research that goes into the development and trials of vaccines today. The scientific community was able to develop the COVID vaccine early because they had years of reliable research in vaccine technology available. As Science and technology have progressed rapidly, genomic sequencing of the coronavirus could also be achieved quickly. There are robust mechanisms to test the vaccines in-vitro and conduct trials on humans. A vaccine is approved by authorities only when there is complete evidence of its efficacy and safety.
2. Myth: You can contract COVID due to vaccines so why get vaccinated?
Fact: Vaccines do not contain any live viruses. Whole virus vaccine technology only uses attenuated or inactivated viruses to trigger an immune response inside the human body. They are not strong enough to cause an infection. Other vaccine technologies like nucleic acid RNA and DNA vaccines use only the spike protein to mimic an infection so that body can develop antibodies against the virus to prevent any future infection. According to the experts, even if someone contracts COVID after getting vaccinated, the severity of the disease would be very mild. So Vaccines definitely reduce mortality.
3. Myth: People with comorbidities shouldn’t get vaccinated
Fact: People suffering from co-morbidities like diabetes and hypertension are at a greater risk of contracting a severe disease. So it is even more pertinent for them to get vaccinated. The vaccine policy of India had initiated a graded process in the beginning. After the health staff and frontline workers, the population with co-morbidities above 45yr of age was made eligible to get vaccinated. It is suggested that you consult the doctor who manages your conditions in case you have concerns.
4. Myth: After getting vaccinated, you don’t need to wear a mask
Fact: Even after getting a vaccine, you need to practice social distancing and wear a mask when in public. This is because a huge chunk of the population hasn’t still been able to get their vaccine doses. Even if you are vaccinated you might still spread it to others who are not vaccinated. Another reason to not let down your guard is that none of the vaccines claims 100% efficacy, so you might still get infected with a much-decreased severity of the disease.
5. Myth: Pregnant women shouldn’t get vaccinated
Fact: Vaccine policies are modified as more reliable data emerges. According to CDC, it is absolutely fine for pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers to get vaccinated. These decisions are supposed to be made by experts on a case-by-case basis. It is advised to consult the doctor and take action accordingly.
You can search for vaccine slot availability on the ‘Vaccine Slot Finder’ on the OneDios app. It allows you to have a streamlined and uncomplicated experience while searching for your vaccine slot. You have to simply enter your Pincode to get the relevant information about slot availability. OneDios COVID 19 Vaccine Slot Finder empowers you to efficiently check available vaccine slots in your area by making the process easygoing, painless, and reliable.
You can also track vaccine-related statistics on the “Vaccination Dashboard” available on the OneDios app. The data for the dashboard is sourced from official Co-Win Statistics. Through this dashboard, you can stay informed about the number of sites conducting vaccination and total vaccination doses in real-time. Relevant data and trends are presented in user-friendly graphs, categories, and visual formats for greater access. You can also check updated data by selecting your state or district to know about specific statistics.