Facts about COVID-19
There is a lot of misinformation about COVID-19. If you have questions about COVID-19, the best person to ask is a health care professional, like your doctor. We also have the facts here about COVID-19.
Fact: Repeated vaccination with COVID-19 vaccines does not make individuals more susceptible to emerging COVID-19 variants.
More Information: There is no reliable evidence that repeated vaccination with COVID-19 vaccines makes people more susceptible to variants. The available effectiveness data suggests that the bivalent COVID-19 vaccines provide improved protection against severe illness, emergency department/urgent care visits, hospitalization and death due to COVID-19. Additionally, data evaluated by FDA from clinical trials demonstrate that the immune response of clinical trial participants who received the Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 bivalent vaccine was better than the immune response of those clinical trial participants who had received the monovalent Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.
Bottom Line: Multiple studies have shown that staying up to date on vaccination provides the best protection against severe COVID-19, which can lead to hospitalization or death.
Fact: The FDA evaluated data from studies in people to support the emergency use authorization of the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech bivalent COVID-19 vaccines.
More Information: The bivalent COVID-19 vaccines that the FDA has authorized are expected to provide an immune response that is broadly protective against COVID-19 and better protects against COVID-19 caused by the omicron variant. The bivalent vaccines include mRNA that corresponds to a component from the original SARS-CoV-2 virus strain to provide broad protection against COVID-19 and mRNA that corresponds to a component from the omicron variant to provide better protection against COVID-19 caused by the omicron variant.
Bottom Line: Based on the available data, the bivalent COVID-19 vaccines are expected to provide improved protection against the most serious consequences of COVID-19, including hospitalization and death.
Fact: The Moderna COVID-19 vaccine doesn’t contain pesticides.
More Information: In fact, the ingredients for the FDA-authorized Moderna COVID-19 vaccine are listed in the product labeling, and the vaccine does not include any pesticides.
Bottom Line: The claim that the military found pesticides in the vaccine is completely false. You can see for yourself: Moderna COVID-19 Vaccines | FDA
Fact: Pregnant and breastfeeding people can receive a COVID-19 vaccine.
More Information: If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, you can receive a COVID-19 vaccine and should discuss the potential benefits and risks of vaccination with your health care provider. Learn more by viewing this video: Just A Minute! with Dr. Peter Marks - Do the COVID-19 vaccines affect fertility?. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or might become pregnant in the future, the CDC recommends getting vaccinated.
Bottom Line: The CDC recommends COVID-19 vaccination for people who are pregnant, breastfeeding, trying to get pregnant now, or those who might become pregnant in the future.
Fact: All COVID-19 vaccines are free from metals, eggs, latex and gelatin.
More Information: Here’s what else they don’t have: any live virus. In fact, the active ingredient in several of the vaccines is a piece of genetic material that leads the body to briefly make a protein and generate a strong immune response that protects a vaccinated person against COVID-19. Another vaccine contains a spike protein made in insect cells and is combined with an adjuvant to enhance the immune response in vaccinated persons.
There are some other components in the vaccines as well, such as lipids, salts and, as mentioned above, one vaccine includes an adjuvant that contains saponin extracts from bark of the Soapbark tree. But certainly, no microchips. If you still have questions or concerns, talk to your health care provider.
Bottom Line: All FDA-approved and authorized COVID-19 vaccines contain ingredients needed to trigger your body’s natural immune response and help protect you from severe illness or death from COVID-19. None of the COVID-19 vaccines contains eggs, gelatin, latex – or any metals.
Fact: COVID-19 vaccines don’t cause Mpox (monkeypox) or COVID-19.
More Information: Understanding How COVID-19 Vaccines Work
Bottom Line: None of the FDA-approved or authorized COVID-19 vaccines can cause Mpox. The vaccines will not infect you with SARS-CoV-2 or the Mpox virus. They do not contain these viruses.