At no point in the recent past has people come together to support each other as a community so vehemently. As the active COVID-19 cases keep rising in the nation amidst a dire shortage of resources and infrastructure, it is mostly the larger online community that has come forward to help each other out. However, at times, the information available online becomes overwhelming, leading people to get confused at times.
Keeping this in mind, we have collated a list of important information about the COVID-19 virus, vaccines and precautionary measures, intimating people about the myths that has percolated in social media about the virus.
I. I have already had COVID once. Does it matter if I vaccinate or not now?
If you’ve already been infected by COVID once, it means you have already developed antibodies against the virus. You have now, what you call natural immunity against the virus. However, that too wanes after a while. So, you must take the vaccine even if you have been infected before, since it makes sure that you don’t catch COVID with the same severity or not at all for that matter.
II. I can get COVID if I take the vaccine, since it contains the dead or weakened virus.
No, you can’t, since none of these vaccines uses the live virus that causes COVID-19. Since your immune system is aroused by the vaccine, it might give you fever, which is in fact, a strong indicator that the vaccine is doing its job. That way, your body would be immune if and when you get exposed to the virus in the near future.
III. You cannot have alcohol before, after or between the two shots of the vaccine.
There is no conclusive evidence that alcohol can reduce the effectiveness of the vaccine in any way. However, it’s best to avoid alcohol after vaccination, as well as in between shots, so that the flu-like symptoms are not aggravated.
IV. You cannot have sex after vaccination.
Yes, you can. Having sex has no detrimental effects on the health of the individual in the aftermath of taking a vaccine. However, it is best to use protection for about 12 weeks after vaccination.
V. Vaccines are not safe for pregnant or breastfeeding mothers.
All vaccines are being offered to pregnant women. In case of complications, you may want to delay for 12 weeks after pregnancy detection and get vaccinated before the third trimester.
VI. Vaccine shots cannot be taken during menstruation.
Absolutely false. The government has busted the myth and said it is perfectly safe to take your Covid-19 vaccine jab during menstruation.
VII. The COVID-19 vaccine lead to infertility or miscarriage.
There is no evidence that vaccines affect fertility or cause miscarriage at present.
VIII. The COVID-19 vaccine cause heart attacks.
There is absolutely no relation between the two. It was seen that incidents of heart attacks in people who were vaccinated were not much more than the number of heart attacks reported in the country’s population in general.
IX. There is no need to wear a mask after taking the vaccine.
Absolutely false. Even after taking the vaccine, wearing a mask is very important to prevent infection. While the vaccine can protect people from severe infections of COVID-19, doctors still cannot rule out all possibilities of catching the virus altogether. Also, it is unclear how well the vaccine prevents the vaccinated person from spreading the virus to others. It is quite possible that vaccinated people get infected without developing symptoms, and can therefore, very well transmit the virus to others.
X. Everyone with COVID-19 dies.
This is false. COVID-19 is fatal for a small percentage of people who develop the illness. The WHO has reported that around 80% of people with COVID-19 experience a relatively form of the illness and do not need specialist treatment in a hospital. Mild symptoms may include a fever, a cough, a sore throat, tiredness, and shortness of breath.
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