Are mRNA COVID-19 vaccines safe?
mRNA vaccines are safe and effective.
mRNA vaccines have been held to the same rigorous safety and effectiveness standards as all other types of vaccines in the United States.
Will a COVID-19 vaccine alter my DNA?
No. COVID-19 mRNA vaccines do not change or interact with your DNA in any way.
What COVID-19 vaccines are using mRNA technology?
The vaccines made by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna use mRNA to fight COVID-19.
When these vaccines were rolled out, it was the first time mRNA was used on humans in vaccine technology. While the concept is new to the public, the research has been around since the early 1990s. What are mRNA Vaccines? 2/11
How long has the mRNA vaccine been around?
mRNA vaccines have been studied before for flu, Zika, rabies, and cytomegalovirus (CMV). As soon as the necessary information about the virus that causes COVID-19 was available, scientists began designing the mRNA instructions for cells to build the unique spike protein into an mRNA vaccine.
Do COVID-19 mRNA vaccines have long-term effects?
The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines were created using messenger RNA (or mRNA) technology, which has been used for about 10 years in cancer treatment, with no long-term effects detected. And even before that, scientists had been working with mRNA technology for years. 3. mRNA technology does not alter your DNA.
Are there any safety concerns concerning mRNA technology of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine?
FDA does not have specific safety concerns with a vaccine that utilizes this technology.
What exactly does the COVID-19 vaccine do to the body?
COVID-19 vaccines help our bodies develop immunity to the virus that causes COVID-19 without us having to get the illness.
Are long-term side effects possible with the COVID-19 vaccine?
Benefits of Vaccination Outweigh the Risks Serious side effects that could cause a long-term health problem are extremely unusual following any vaccination, including COVID-19 vaccination.
Has the mRNA vaccine been used before COVID-19?
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, mRNA vaccines targeting infectious diseases including HIV-1, rabies, Zika and influenza were already in clinical trials, as were mRNA vaccines targeting multiple hematologic and solid organ malignancies (Pardi, 2018).
What is in the Pfizer COVID-19 bivalent vaccine?
The bivalent vaccine contains mRNA encoding the original SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, which is present in the original Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, together with mRNA encoding the spike protein of the Omicron BA.4/BA.5 variant.
Are long term side effects possible with the COVID-19 vaccine?
Do mRNA COVID-19 vaccines cause heart inflammation?
These cases typically occur in male adolescents and young adults after the second dose, and within a week of vaccination. It is important to seek medical care if symptomatic (chest pain, shortness of breath, having a fast beating, fluttering, or pounding heart).
Can COVID-19 vaccines cause myocarditis?
An analysis of 627 cases of vaccine-linked myocarditis worldwide showed that 626 fully recovered — and one fatality. The risk of myocarditis linked with COVID-19 illness is several times greater than the risk from vaccination, and it is often more serious.
What are some of the long-term side effects of COVID-19?
The effects of COVID-19 can persist long after the initial symptoms of the illness are gone. These effects, called post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (or PASC), can include brain fog, fatigue, headaches, dizziness, and shortness of breath.
How was the COVID-19 vaccine developed so quickly?
Scientists began work on the COVID-19 vaccine in January 2020. Dedicated vaccine funding helped move vaccine candidates through the pre-clinical/clinical assessments and trials both quickly and thoughtfully. This has enabled researchers to advance into phase 3 clinical trials (testing the vaccine on large groups of people to evaluate safety and effectiveness) in six months instead of the typical two years. The vaccine was mass produced before the clinical studies were complete to save time.
What is a bivalent COVID-19 vaccine?
Up to now, COVID-19 vaccines have targeted the original COVID-19 strain. As we know, COVID-19 variants have made the vaccines a little less effective over time. The new bivalent vaccine provides protection against both the original strain and the new Omicron BA.4/BA.5 variants.
What is the difference between the original COVID-19 vaccine and the bivalent COVID-19 Omicron booster?
They use the same mRNA technology as the original vaccines. The key difference between the original COVID-19 shots and the new “bivalent” version is that the latter consists of a mixture of mRNA that encodes the spike proteins of both the original SARS-CoV-2 virus and the more recent omicron subvariants, BA.4 and BA.5.
Are there any COVID-19 vaccines linked to myocarditis?
Only the mRNA vaccines (Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna) have been linked with myocarditis. Myocarditis related to COVID-19 vaccines seems to be caused by the body’s immune response to vaccination.
How do you know if you have myocarditis from the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine?
Symptoms include chest pain, palpitations (the feeling of one’s heart beating very fast), and shortness of breath. If your child develops any of these symptoms after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, please contact your pediatrician and seek medical care.
Which organ system is most often affected by COVID-19?
COVID-19 is a disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 that can trigger what doctors call a respiratory tract infection. It can affect your upper respiratory tract (sinuses, nose, and throat) or lower respiratory tract (windpipe and lungs).
Can COVID-19 cause problems years later?
In some people, post- COVID-19 syndrome lasts months or years or causes disability. Research suggests that between one month and one year after having COVID-19 , 1 in 5 people ages 18 to 64 has at least one medical condition that might be due to COVID-19 .
Are COVID-19 vaccines safe even though the vaccines were developed rapidly?
See full answerAlthough COVID-19 vaccines were developed quickly, research and development on vaccines like these have been underway for decades. All vaccine development steps were taken to ensure COVID-19 vaccine safety and effectiveness, including:
- Clinical Trials – All vaccines in the United States must go through three phases of clinical trials to ensure they are safe and effective. The phases overlapped to speed up the process, but all phases were completed.
- Authorization or Approval – Before vaccines are available to people, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reviews data from clinical trials. FDA has determined three COVID-19 vaccines meet FDA’s standards and has granted those vaccines Emergency Use Authorizations (EUAs)external icon or full FDA approval.
Who is the scientist that developed the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine?
Katalin Kariko, PhD, a senior vice president at BioNTech, and Drew Weissman, MD, PhD, a professor in vaccine research at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, made a breakthrough discovery by modifying messenger RNA (mRNA), which provides instructions to cells to make proteins.
What is a bivalent Omicron COVID-19 booster?
The new booster is a bivalent vaccine, which means it contains two messenger RNA (mRNA) components of the coronavirus. Half of the vaccine targets the original strain, and the other half targets the BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron subvariant lineages, which are predicted to continue circulating this fall and winter.
Can Moderna mRNA COVID-19 vaccine cause myocarditis in young men?
The Moderna mRNA vaccine may be more likely to cause myocarditis in men aged 12 to 29 years than other vaccines, requiring more surveillance of patients following the administration of booster shots.