On May 14th, 2021, the COVID-19 vaccine was released for people ages 12 and up. The three forms of the vaccine (Moderna, Pfizer, and Johnson and Johnson) were all created to stop the spread of COVID-19 and bring things back to “normal.” However, the development of the vaccine angered many people. This resulted in rumors spreading around the nation and scared many away from getting vaccinated.

Doctors around the world are highly encouraging the general public to get the vaccine. Dr. Stephanie Sterling, chief of infectious diseases at the New York University Langone Hospital-Brooklyn said, “The World Health Organization deems vaccine hesitancy to be among the biggest threats to global health. Coronavirus vaccine falsehoods carry particular dangers.”

Aside from the fact that some may not be able to get the vaccine due to religious or health issues, there is no excuse to not get vaccinated. Not only is the vaccine mandated in many places such as airports, concerts, and theaters, it is safer for the vast majority of individuals and communities.

The majority of the citizens who are against the vaccine have one key issue: they believe that there is not enough research. A sophomore at Huntington Beach High School, Jack Huddleston, says, “I think there are too many gray areas on it. There are only 3 years of research on it. They don’t know enough.”

Although this is a reasonable concern, the COVID-19 vaccine has been in research and testing for 10 years. The coronavirus outbreak allowed scientists to conduct more research than ever before.

Along with this, many also believe that getting the vaccine can allegedly cause women to become infertile. This statement solely became popular due to a mix-up of words. When the emergency vaccine was issued, it was not recommended for pregnant women because it had not yet been tested on them. Many people took this statement out of context and twisted the meaning behind this statement. Even though the CDC recommends pregnant women to get vaccinated, many individuals are still convinced that taking it will cause miscarriages or make women infertile.

Lastly, one of the most notorious COVID-19 vaccine rumors is that it makes you magnetic. This is impossible because there is not a single magnetic compound in the vaccine. The CDC confirmed this by stating, “all COVID-19 vaccines are free from metals such as iron, nickel, cobalt, lithium, and rare earth alloys, as well as any manufactured products such as microelectronics, electrodes, carbon nanotubes, and nanowire semiconductors.”

Annika Perez, a sophomore student attending Washington High School says, “As a society, I think it is important to get the vaccine because protecting everyone else is also as important as protecting yourself. And with the vaccine you can ensure that you and your family/friends are safe.”

The vaccine only helps individuals and their community of loved ones. It is not making anyone infertile or magnetic, and those who choose to get the vaccine are not test rats. One should consider the safety, research, and facts about the COVID-19 vaccine, and schedule a vaccine appointment to help our community as a whole.