Vaccinating against fake news

Myths and facts surrounding the Covid-19 vaccines

- DR. EDSEL MAURICE T. SALVANA

A lab technician sorts blood samples for a Covid-19 vaccine study at the Research Centers of America in Hollywood, Florida (Photo by Chandan Kana)

The second Covid-19 vac-cine was just approved. Things are really looking up! The Moderna vaccine looks very good based on recently released data. It has shown a 94.5 percent efficacy in preventing symptomatic disease, and an astounding 100 percent efficacy in preventing severe disease. There’s a bonus too, in that the vaccine also seems to prevent asymptomatic disease. If this is confirmed, it will be big news to doctors and public health experts. It means that there is at least one Covid-19 vaccine that can block transmission. If enough people are given a transmission-blocking vaccine, herd immunity can be achieved and the disease can be eliminated.

While many people are rejoicing at the early Christmas gift of safe and effective Covid-19 vaccines, pseudoscience trolls and anti-vaxxers are also working overtime. Worst of all, some of these people are doctors or scientists who for one reason or another are spreading inaccurate information.

Let’s go through some of the facts that have stirred controversy.

1. RNA vaccines do not affect the vaccine recipient’s own genetic material.