MYTH: The COVID-19 vaccines were rushed and haven’t been properly tested.
FACT: The COVID-19 vaccines were indeed introduced quickly. The accelerated effort was necessary because of the unprecedented swiftness and deadly global impact of the virus. The term “coronavirus” was new to many of us, but it wasn’t new to scientists. In fact, even before the public was aware of COVID-19, researchers had already been studying coronaviruses. And, they have been developing, testing, and evaluating vaccines for years. So once the pandemic hit, research efforts already under way received huge amounts of additional funding and support to move the process along even faster.
Because of the urgency and scale of the pandemic, the COVID-19 vaccines have been tested on many people. These clinical trials were extremely thorough and lasted for months to ensure they were both safe and effective. And once the vaccines were developed and properly tested, they were authorized by the FDA. When you receive your COVID-19 vaccination, you can be confident that it’s both safe and effective.
Since the creation of these resources, some updates have occurred. For the most recent information on COVID-19 and the vaccines, please visit the CDC website or speak with your Primary Care Provider.
