Berks doctors debunk 13 myths about the COVID vaccine

May 13—After more than a year battling a global pandemic, there is hope that the end of the battle is near.

Vaccines for COVID-19 are now widely available, with every Pennsylvanian age 12 and older now eligible to get a jab.

The vaccines are seen by the medical community as a path back to normalcy, a route to herd immunity and to put the infectious disease that has altered and taken so many lives in the rearview mirror.

To reach herd immunity, more vaccinations are needed, experts say. And, based on a poll last month by Monmouth University, about one in five Americans say they aren't planning to do so.

Those who are opting to skip the vaccine express a variety of reasons. Some of those reasons are based on rumors and misinformation.

The Reading Eagle decided to take a look at some of the claims about the COVID vaccines, as well as ask readers what questions and concerns they have about the vaccines and other aspects of the pandemic.

The following questions came from readers on social media and through Ask the Eagle, the Reading Eagle's reader-powered journalism project.

We've reached out to medical experts at Reading Hospital and Penn State Health St. Joseph hospital to sort out the issues.

Can the COVID-19 vaccine affect women's fertility?

Dr. Debra Powell, chief of the division of infectious disease and medical director of infection prevention at Reading Hospital: "There's no proof that that's the case. There's no data to support that at all. In fact, the leading group of obstetricians and gynecologist, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, recommend them for all of their patients: pregnant, breastfeeding and child-bearing age."

I don't need a vaccine because I'm healthy and don't have any high-risk factors.

Powell: "Everyone that is eligible should receive the COVID-19 vaccine. The virus is unpredictable and can affect anyone at any age, with unpredictable results. Individuals who get the vaccine help protect their family and friends while preventing further spread."

If I've already had COVID I don't need a vaccine.

Dr. Mohammad Ali, infectious diseases physician with Penn State Health: "Everyone who is able should get vaccinated, regardless of whether they had COVID-19 or not. We do not know yet how long one is protected from getting sick again after recovering from COVID-19."

Powell: "That's not correct. If you've had COVID-19 you have some antibodies, but they're not long-lasting."

Powell said the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is recommending that people with COVID-19 get vaccinated once they are done with their isolation and no longer experiencing symptoms.

Researchers rushed the development of the COVID-19 vaccine, so its effectiveness and safety cannot be trusted.

Powell: "That's false."

Powell said mRNA vaccines like the ones being produced by Moderna and Pfizer have been in development for over a decade. She also said the development of the vaccines included historic cooperation between various countries, each sharing their knowledge base to help speed up the process.

If I get the COVID-19 vaccine does that mean I can stop wearing my mask and taking coronavirus precautions?

The CDC announced new guidelines Thursday that say people who are fully vaccinated can go without masks or physical distancing in most cases, even when they are indoors or in large groups.

Masks must still be worn on airplanes, buses, trains and other public transportation, in health-care settings or where state or local restrictions still require them.

Gov. Tom Wolf has previously announced that Pennsylvania will lift all COVID-19 mandates except the wearing of masks at the end of the month. Wolf has said that the mask mandate will remain in place until the state has 70% of adults vaccinated. It is unclear how the new CDC guidelines will impact that.

Ali and Powell provided their answers prior to the CDC's announcement Thursday.

Ali: "We are still learning if COVID-19 vaccines keep people from spreading infection. In some instances, you can relax the mitigation efforts if you are fully vaccinated.

"The CDC does say that it is safe to gather indoors without masks with other people who are fully vaccinated. Until we are able to get a large portion of the population vaccinated and fully understand how effective vaccines are in stopping (the) spread, vaccinated people should continue to wear masks and stay six feet apart from other people in other settings, like when they are in public or visiting with unvaccinated people from multiple households."

Powell: "It has opened us up to some of the things we used to do. But you can't just say I'm never wearing a mask again. We still have to protect those who haven't been vaccinated."

Powell said the vaccines have allowed for some COVID-19 restrictions to be loosened, and that the more people who get vaccinated the more restrictions can be lifted.

Can getting the COVID-19 vaccine give you COVID-19?

Powell: "You cannot get COVID from a COVID vaccine. We're giving you a little piece of nucleic acid. We're not giving you the virus. We're not giving you a live virus. It's kind of like Snapchat, it's a little code that's only with you for a little while and then it goes away."

Ali: "No, COVID vaccines cannot give you COVID. The recommended vaccines do not contain any live virus."

Are the side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine dangerous?

Ali: "The side effects of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are minor — injection site pains, generalized aches, pains, possible fever or chills. These side effects usually resolve in 24 to 48 hours.

"There is a plausible causal relationship between the Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine and rare and serious blood clots. These clots occur at a rate of seven per million vaccinated women between ages 18 to 49 years old, and rarer for women over the age of 50."

Powell: "The side effects are, overall, mild. A sore arm, a headache, a low-grade fever. Aches. The side effects of COVID are lethal."

Powell said there are very rare cases of people having severe and even fatal reactions to the vaccines, but the vast majority of people will only have mild, short-lived side effects.

Do the COVID-19 vaccines enter your cells and change your DNA?

Powell: "That is not correct. The mRNA is just like a template, a little code. It gives you some information to make a protein and you make an antibody to fight the protein. The mRNA gets destroyed."

Ali: "No, the COVID vaccine will not interact with DNA in any way."

Do the COVID-19 vaccines contain microchips?

Powell: "They do not contain microchips. I don't know what else to say about that."

The COVID-19 vaccines aren't real vaccines and do nothing.

Powell: "That is so incorrect. They're real vaccines. They produce real antibodies that protect you."

Powell said the mRNA COVID are different from older vaccines that took a dead or weakened virus and injected it into a patient. She said those old-style vaccines are more risky than the ones being used for COVID that only use the part of the virus that will lead to the creation of antibodies.

I only need one dose of the vaccine to be protected against COVID-19.

Powell: "For the Johnson and Johnson vaccine that's true. For the others you really want to get the second dose to protect you. That's how you get to the 95% protection."

Ali: "In the case of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine, this is correct. For the mRNA vaccines by Pfizer and Moderna, you should get both doses as recommended to get the full efficacy of the vaccines."

The vaccines have not been approved by the Federal Drug Administration.

Ali: "These vaccines do have emergency authorization, and they have all undergone the necessary testing and approval process. They are safe and effective.

"The FDA follows rigorous guidelines and would not provide guidance for use if it did not meet these guidelines. The best way to end this pandemic is to get as many people vaccinated as soon as possible."

Powell: "The vaccines were approved and reviewed by the FDA and given emergency use approval. We expect full approval to come soon. They went through the same process they always do."

What happens if I get a third dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine?

Powell: "I wouldn't recommend people do that. The vaccines are approved for two doses, that's what I recommend people get. We might find out in six months or a year that we need a second round or a booster dose, but that will depend on things like the prevalence of variants."