5 COVID-19 Vaccine Myths

A Keck Medicine of USC expert dispels five of the most common myths about the COVID-19 vaccine.

The holiday season is here, and experts predict some areas of the country may see an increase in COVID-19 cases in the coming weeks. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that everyone ages six months and older receive the 2024–2025 COVID-19 vaccine; however only 20% of adults ages 18 or older have been vaccinated so far this year.

Misconceptions about both the virus and the vaccine may in part be driving this low vaccination rate. As we approach five years post the start of the pandemic, Saahir Khan, MD, PhD, an infectious disease specialist with Keck Medicine of USC, dispels the five most common myths surrounding the vaccine.

Myth #1: I received the COVID-19 vaccine last year and/or had COVID-19 within the last year, so I don’t need a new vaccine.

Myth Buster: The protective effect of a COVID-19 vaccine wears off after six months, and immunity from having the infection fades after around three months due to a combination of declining antibody levels within the body and mutations in the virus, which may make people vulnerable to new strains. The 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine has been updated to provide greater protection against the currently circulating strains of the virus than previous versions of the vaccine. Receiving an updated COVID-19 vaccine is the best way to protect against complications of COVID-19, including long COVID, severe illness, hospitalization and death. Getting vaccinated is especially important for people ages 65 or older, those with preexisting conditions such as diabetes or chronic lung disease and individuals who are immunocompromised.

Myth #2: COVID-19 infections no longer cause long COVID.

Myth Buster: Health experts estimate that up to 30% of people infected with COVID-19 have developed long COVID, which is a chronic condition with persistent symptoms present for at least three months after resolution of a COVID-19 infection. Long COVID can cause symptoms including dizziness, loss of smell, headaches and chronic fatigue. While the prevalence of long COVID has decreased over time to around 7% of COVID-19 patients, this number still represents a significant risk of long-term complications from COVID-19 infection. While the risk of long COVID is higher after severe illness, it can occur even after mild illness.

Myth #3: I am very healthy, so if I get COVID-19, my body will naturally fight it off without the vaccine.

Myth Buster: While the possibility of severe illness and death from COVID-19 is higher in people who are elderly, immunocompromised or have chronic medical conditions, throughout the COVID-19 pandemic we have observed that young, healthy people can still suffer severe illness and death. We cannot predict with certainty who will have a severe illness if they get infected, but we do know that the vaccine will reduce this risk.

Myth #4: The risk of side effects from the COVID-19 vaccine outweigh the benefits of the vaccine.

Myth Buster: COVID-19 vaccines were approved by the FDA and rigorously tested in tens of thousands of patients in clinical trials and proven safe and effective at preventing serious illness, hospitalization and death. Billions of people worldwide have received the vaccines, and serious side effects, including allergic reactions, are extremely rare. Many people do experience mild side effects including pain at the injection site, fever or feeling run down for a day, but these are an indication that the vaccine is successfully activating your immune system. The only medical situations in which a vaccine should not be used is when an individual has a significant allergy to a component of the vaccine or a prior severe side effect from the vaccine, both of which are extremely rare. If you have any concerns about the vaccine, talk to your health care provider.

Myth #5: COVID-19 no longer causes severe illness or death.

Myth Buster: We still see patients dying in our hospitals from complications of COVID-19 infection. While the risk of developing a severe or life-threatening case of COVID-19 is higher in patients who are elderly, immunocompromised or have chronic medical conditions, everyone who gets infected has some risk.

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