When hospital administrators in Wisconsin first found out over Christmas that one of their pharmacists had left 57 vials of the Moderna vaccine out of a refrigerator, they assumed it was an accident. Days later, the pharmacist admitted to intentionally ruining the doses because he believed a conspiracy theory that the vaccine could harm people by changing their DNA.

That’s just one of the many myths currently circulating about the vaccines. Here are a few of the most common myths and how to reassure people who express concern about them.

Myth #1: The vaccines change DNA.

This myth arises from confusion between DNA and RNA and a lack of understanding of how vaccines are made. Both the Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines use messenger RNA (mRNA) technology. DNA provides the blueprint for creating an organism, while mRNA takes bits of the genetic code to parts of the cytoplasm to produce specific proteins. DNA stays in the nucleus; the synthetic mRNA in the vaccines never enters the nucleus. Instead, it instructs the cell to produce the coronavirus’s signature spike protein. The immune system responds to the unknown spike protein by making antibodies and activating T-cells, which prepare it to quickly attack the protein if exposed to the SARS-CoV-2 virus, thus providing immunity. The genetic material in mRNA disintegrates in 72 hours without ever interacting with DNA, the CDC explained

Myth #2: The side effects of the vaccines are worse than getting COVID-19.

This myth combines two misunderstandings. First, COVID-19 has killed more than 375,000 Americans. That’s a rate of more than 11 of 10,000 people. Of the more than 40,000 individuals who received the vaccines in clinical trials, not a single one died. One participant in the AstraZeneca trial who received a placebo died of an unrelated condition. Second, most people do not have significant reactions to the vaccines, according to the University of Alabama at Birmingham. The most common side effect, injection-site tenderness, affected 84% of trial participants, while 63% experienced fatigue, and 55% reported headaches. Less than 40% of participants experienced muscle pain or chills, 24% had joint pain, and about 14% developed fever. Less than 5% had severe reactions. Side effects were much less common with the vaccines’ initial dose than after the second dose but in both cases they  typically abated within 24 to 72 hours. A moderate or severe case of COVID-19 lasts longer, has much more serious symptoms, and may require hospitalization. Even asymptomatic or mild cases can be associated with lasting consequences, such as myocardiopathy or long-term exhaustion.

Myth #3: The vaccines inject fetal tissue.

Neither the Pfizer/BioNTech nor the Moderna vaccine used any fetal tissue at any point in their design, development, or production. No fetal cell lines are used in manufacturing or in the injection itself. However, both companies confirmed that their vaccine process worked using fetal cell lines descended down thousands of generations from kidney tissue taken from an elective abortion in the Netherlands in the early 1970s, according to Nebraska Medicine. The continued use of these nearly 50-year-old “immortal” cell lines does not create a demand for more fetal tissue.

The content contained in this article is for informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice. Reliance on any information provided in this article is solely at your own risk.

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