It has not been shown that COVID-19 vaccines cause or accelerate cancer. Yet opponents of the vaccines say a new review article “has found that COVID-19 mRNA vaccines could aid cancer development.” The review conclusions are mainly based on the misinterpretation of a study on mRNA cancer vaccines in mice.
Misconception: COVID-19 Misconceptions
Q&A on Reducing COVID-19 Risk for Elderly, Immunocompromised
While the risks associated with COVID-19 generally have decreased over time due to prior exposure to the vaccines and the virus, some people remain at elevated risk, such as the elderly and immunocompromised. The updated COVID-19 vaccines and, in some cases, a new monoclonal antibody can provide increased protection for this group.
O.J. Simpson Died from Cancer, Not COVID-19 Vaccine
O.J. Simpson, a football star who was acquitted in the murder of his ex-wife and her friend, died of cancer on April 10 at age 76. Misinformation spread online within hours of the news. Social media posts falsely claimed that the cancer was related to his COVID-19 vaccination. Simpson was vaccinated, but there is no evidence that vaccination causes cancer or that it was to blame for his death.
Posts Raise Unfounded Concerns About Aluminum in Vaccines
Small amounts of aluminum have been used for many decades to strengthen the immune response to vaccines. Exposure to high levels of aluminum has been associated with brain and bone problems, but there is no evidence that the level of exposure provided by vaccines leads to such toxicity, contrary to social media claims.
How is mRNA in vaccines delivered to cells?
Messenger RNA, or mRNA, vaccines work by instructing a small number of a person’s cells to make specific proteins. In the case of the approved mRNA vaccines for COVID-19, the cells make spike protein — one component of the virus that causes COVID-19.
For mRNA vaccines to work, it’s not enough to just put mRNA molecules into a vial and then inject them into a person’s muscle. One innovation that made the current mRNA vaccines possible was the use of lipids to encircle the mRNA molecules.
Explaining the New CDC Guidance on What To Do if You Have COVID-19
Q: Is one day isolation sufficient to stop forward transmission of COVID-19?
A: People with COVID-19 could potentially transmit it to others well beyond a day after developing symptoms or testing positive. New guidance from the CDC advises people to isolate until they have been fever-free and with symptoms improving for at least 24 hours, and then take precautions for five days, which covers the period when “most people are still infectious.”
Blood Donations from COVID-19 Vaccine Recipients Are Safe, Contrary to Online Claims
Study Largely Confirms Known, Rare COVID-19 Vaccine Side Effects
An international study of around 99 million people confirmed known serious side effects of COVID-19 vaccination. It also identified a possible relationship between the first dose of the Moderna vaccine and a small risk of a neurological condition. Social media posts about the study left out information on the vaccines’ benefits and the rarity of the side effects.
Posts Mislead About COVID-19 Vaccine Safety With Out-of-Context Clip of FDA Official
Given the extra scrutiny and large number of doses, reports of possible side effects to a vaccine safety monitoring system increased with the COVID-19 vaccines. The high number of reports does not mean the vaccines are unsafe, contrary to suggestions made by posts sharing a clip of a Food and Drug Administration official acknowledging the surge.