Local health officials address myths and facts about COVID-19 vaccines

MEDFORD, Ore. – Jackson County Public Health is working to dispel some myths about COVID-19 vaccines.

JCPH stated the following:

MYTHS and FACTS About COVID–19 Vaccines

Is the mRNA vaccine considered a vaccine?
Yes. mRNA vaccines, such as Pfizer–BioNTech and Moderna, work differently than other types of vaccines, but they still trigger an immune response inside your body. This type of vaccine is new, but research and development on it has been underway for decades.

The mRNA vaccines do not contain any live virus. Instead, they work by teaching our cells to make a harmless piece of a “spike protein,” which is found on the surface of the virus that causes COVID–19. After making the protein piece, cells display it on their surface. Our immune system then recognizes that it does not belong there and responds to get rid of it. When an immune response begins, antibodies are produced, creating the same response that happens in a natural infection.

In contrast to mRNA vaccines, many other vaccines use a piece of, or weakened version of, the germ that the vaccine protects against. This is how the measles and flu vaccines work. When a weakened or small part of the virus is introduced to your body, you make antibodies to help protect against future infection.

Do COVID–19 vaccines contain microchips?
No. COVID–19 vaccines do not contain microchips. Vaccines are developed to fight against disease and are not administered to track your movement. Vaccines work by stimulating your immune system to produce antibodies, exactly like it would if you were exposed to the disease. After getting vaccinated, you develop immunity to that disease, without having to get the disease
first.

Learn more about the ingredients in the COVID–19 vaccinations authorized for use in the United States.

Can receiving a COVID–19 vaccine cause you to be magnetic?
No. Receiving a COVID–19 vaccine will not make you magnetic, including at the site of vaccination which is usually your arm. COVID–19 vaccines do not contain ingredients that can produce an electromagnetic field at the site of your injection. All COVID–19 vaccines are free from metals.

Do any of the COVID–19 vaccines authorized for use in the United States shed or release any of their components? No. Vaccine shedding is the term used to describe the release or discharge of any of the vaccine components in or outside of the body. Vaccine shedding can only occur when a vaccine contains a weakened version of the virus. None of the vaccines authorized for use in the U.S. contain a live virus. mRNA and viral vector vaccines are the two types of currently authorized COVID–19 vaccines available.

Learn more about mRNA and viral vector COVID–19 vaccines