Vaccine myths and facts

All approved vaccines are researched until proven safe

Thanks to worldwide collaboration, COVID-19 vaccines were developed quickly without compromising safety by building on decades of research on these vaccine technologies. Every approved vaccine has met Health Canada's strict standards for safety, quality and effectiveness.

Getting vaccinated protects against variants.

The vaccines are effective against all variants All viruses evolve over time through genetic variations. These changes can result in new “variants” of the original virus and may have different properties than the original virus, such as increased transmissibility or the ability to cause more severe disease. Vaccination does not cause worse variants.

Even the young and healthy should get vaccinated

Anyone can get seriously ill from COVID-19 and end up in the hospital or worse. Thousands of Albertans have died, including many young, previously healthy people.

The vaccine and your personal beliefs

Many faith leaders around the world have spoken about the moral duty of their faith communities to be immunized to prevent spread. The vaccines approved in Canada do not contain gelatin, pork products or fetal tissue.

If you've had COVID-19, you should still get vaccinated

Evidence suggests immunity after infection may not last very long or be as effective against variants. Getting vaccinated will strengthen your immunity to give you the best protection.

Getting vaccinated won't hurt your paycheque

COVID-19 vaccines are free in Alberta. Employees are also entitled to take up to 3 hours of paid leave for each vaccination appointment under the Employment Standards Code.

The vaccine and your pregnancy

There is no evidence that vaccines are harmful when pregnant or breastfeeding. In fact, everyone who is pregnant should get fully vaccinated as they have a higher risk of severe outcomes from variants.

The vaccine and your menstrual cycle

Menstruation is a complex process that can be influenced by external factors. The lining of the uterus is an active part of the immune system. Vaccines activate the immune system, which can temporarily alter menstruation for a single cycle near the time of vaccination. However, there is no evidence that COVID-19 vaccines alter menstruation long term.

The vaccine and your fertility

The vaccines do not impact fertility, damage the placenta or increase the risk of pre-term birth or stillbirth. The vaccines safely help your body produce immunity against the spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and protect you from COVID-19 infection and severe outcomes. They do not target syncytin-1, which is a different protein involved in the growth and attachment of the placenta during pregnancy.

The vaccine and sperm production

The COVID-19 vaccine does not affect sperm production, but the COVID-19 disease does. Getting vaccinated is the best way to protect male fertility.

Doctors cannot use unauthorized treatments

All physicians have an ethical and professional responsibility to only use treatments approved by Health Canada. Approval is only granted following rigorous review to ensure the drug is safe and effective. It can be extremely dangerous for a physician to use a medicine or drug to treat COVID-19 that has not be approved or authorized. Getting vaccinated is the best way to protect yourself.

Ivermectin does not prevent or reduce COVID-19

Ivermectin is a useful drug, but not a treatment for COVID-19. It is used to treat parasites, not viruses. All high-quality reviews found no evidence it reduces the severity of COVID-19 illness. In fact, 2 studies touting its benefits have been retracted. India revoked its approval of Ivermectin as a treatment in September after experts found it had little to no effect on mortality or recovery time. Taking Ivermectin for unauthorized uses or without doctor’s supervision can have serious, even fatal, consequences.

The vaccine, the virus, and your child

To date, 16% of all COVID-19 cases in Alberta were in children and youth age 5 to 19. While most symptoms in children and youth are mild, some can get very sick and suffer long-lasting effects, especially if they have pre-existing conditions. Vaccines safely protect children and youth from getting sick. Side effects in children are extremely rare. There is no evidence linking vaccine and autism.

The vaccine, the virus, and your DNA

Vaccines cannot give you COVID-19 or cause you to shed the virus. The coronavirus is coated in spike proteins that allow it to easily infect human cells and replicate. The vaccine instructs your body to produce spike proteins that teach your immune system to recognize and fight off the spikes on the coronavirus. Once your immune system recognizes the coronavirus, it gets rid of all parts of the vaccine naturally. The vaccine does not alter your DNA.

COVID-19 and the long-term effects

Some people who have had COVID-19, whether they have needed hospitalization or not, continue to experience symptoms, including fatigue, respiratory and neurological symptoms. These long lasting symptoms have been named “long COVID” and are being closely studied in Alberta, and around the world.

It takes time to build immunity

Your body needs time to build its defenses – at least 2 weeks after the first dose. During that time, you are not yet protected from COVID-19.