DEBUNKED: 7 Covid-19 myths exposed

Thousands of Queenslanders are yet to protect themselves from Covid-19 due to concerns about vaccinations. We’ve debunked some of the most common myths.

Concerns about fertility, efficacy, blood clots and even changes in DNA are stopping thousands of Queenslanders from protecting themselves from a wave of Covid cases that will impact every community in coming months.

More than 71 per cent of Queenslanders have now had their first dose of the Covid vaccine, and 55 per cent are now fully protected but authorities say dangerous myths circulating in the community and online are impacting vaccination rates.

Research by the Melbourne Institute revealed 17.6 per cent of Queenslanders are vaccine hesitant – although many of them are confused rather than staunchly anti-vax.

A Moderna Covid-19 vaccine shot is prepared. Picture: Angela Weiss / AFP

While 8.5 per cent said they would never have the jab, 9 per cent were still on the fence.

We spoke to two of Australia’s top immunologists, University of Sydney’s Professor Robert Booy and infectious diseases physician Dr Paul Griffin to help break down the myths circulating Queensland communities.

MYTH: It’s dangerous for pregnant women and affects fertility

FALSE Experts say the vaccine is safe and effective for pregnant women, and there is no scientific evidence supporting the claim it causes infertility. “We have great real world evidence from the UK and US that pregnant women have been vaccinated safely,” University of Sydney’s Professor Robert Booy said. On the other hand, experts have seen the devastating consequences Covid has had on pregnant women, which only places more importance on the vaccine. In fact, one in six of the most critically ill Covid patients in the UK are unvaccinated pregnant women.

A pregnant woman receives a Covid vaccine.

MYTH: It was made too quickly. The process was rushed

FALSE Experts say the technology to make the vaccine has been around for decades. “We’ve been using vaccines and this technology for a long time. It wasn’t new technology, it was just that it was applied to this pathogen when it was detected,” Infectious Diseases physician Dr Paul Griffin said. Large clinical trials of around 30,000 participants and real world analysis involving hundreds of thousands of doses have also aided in the development. “We actually know more about these vaccines than we have about any vaccines in the past,” Dr Griffin said.

MYTH: The side effects are too dangerous

FALSE While there has been a link established between the AstraZeneca vaccine and the very rare but serious side effect of blood clots, there is also a very low chance of this happening. Studies have shown blood clots may occur in around four to six people in every million after being vaccinated. As for long term effects, Dr Booy said that evidence from previous vaccines have shown that lasting side effects generally show within the first 12 months. The fact that no long term, lasting side effects have come from the vaccines now, past the one year mark, is a good sign.

An anti-vax protest outside Parliament House in Brisbane. Picture: Tara Croser.

MYTH: The vaccine changes your DNA

FALSE Experts say mRNA cannot go backwards into someone’s DNA to alter anything. Similarly, the viral vector process doesn’t deliver the genetic code in a way that it can be incorporated to hang around in the body. “In all the vaccines, we use what makes the spike protein that we get a response against. That goes away really quickly, it doesn’t hang around,” Dr Griffin said. Additionally, as the vaccine is an injection, there is also no way anything can be taken from your body, including DNA.

MYTH: The vaccine contains controversial substances

FALSE According to Dr Griffin, the ingredients to all vaccines are freely available to view

online or from where you get your vaccine. “All that vaccines contain are the active ingredient and then a really small amount of necessary things like buffers and stabilisers. So there’s very little in there other than the active ingredient,” he said.

MYTH: There’s no point getting it. It won’t protect against different strains

FALSE While Dr Griffin admits there might be a slight reduction against the Delta strain, the protection is still “fantastic”. In particular, it will protect against severe disease, meaning fewer hospitalisations, ICU stays and deaths. “It also goes a very long way to reduce getting the virus and also passing it on. It works really well against the strains we’ve seen so far,” he said.

MYTH: Covid-19 vaccines cause auto-immune diseases

FALSE Experts have confirmed that auto-immune diseases, such as arthritis and multiple sclerosis, are chronic (long-term) illnesses and there is no evidence to suggest that Covid-19 vaccines can cause auto-immune diseases.

Originally published as DEBUNKED: 7 Covid-19 myths exposed