**3. High-yield vaccine myths to know**

Recent studies have identified five common myths surrounding Covid-19 vaccines [13, 14]. Let us break them down one by one, separating fact from fiction.

#### **3.1 Myth #1: getting the Covid-19 vaccine will give you Covid-19**

To date, no vaccine authorized or in development in the U.S. contains the live SARS-CoV-2 virus. Thus, receiving a Covid-19 vaccine cannot and will not cause Covid-19 infection. However, symptoms seen in common viral infections can arise due to the body's immune response to the vaccine's mechanism of action. Symptom presentation and timelines can vary among different vaccine types and recipient demographics. Generally, the most common symptoms seen in Covid-19 vaccinated individuals are injection site pain, fever, muscle pain, fatigue, and/or headaches. These are a completely normal and benign response as the immune system detects the vaccine components and begins adapting to fight off an actual Covid-19 infection, should that individual get exposed. These side effects typically occur within 24–48 hours post-vaccination. Experts often refer to this as a "good sign" that your immune system is building a response to battle future infections. While this period generally contains a mild presentation, there are steps you can take to alleviate side effects that arise. The first is to use an ice pack or damp cloth to reduce injection

site pain/soreness. Next is to take an over the counter (OTC) pain reliever such as acetaminophen. Finally, finding ways to de-stress (e.g., taking off of work, self-care routine) is always a good idea to strengthen your immune system [15].

#### **3.2 Myth #2: vaccine development was rushed and unreliable**

In this instance, it is helpful to begin by confirming one of the assumptions of this myth: that the Covid-19 vaccine was developed in record time [16]. Yes, there is some merit to this assumption. However, the other two assumptions are where this myth fails to hold water: that corners were cut, and safety was inherently not ensured as in traditional vaccine development/supervision. There are two possibilities in this discussion that are important to recognize before diving in: (1) the individual holds this distrust regarding all vaccines (or at least the idea is not confined to the Covid-19 vaccine development) or (2) the individual solely holds this belief surrounding Covid-19 vaccine production. If the former, then the individual needs to be counseled about basic vaccine development facts as a whole. If the second is the case, then the argument becomes much more straightforward: how did/does Covid-19 vaccine development compare to previous vaccines? For this, we can look to historical data and the "usual" timeline, step by step (**Figure 2**). So how exactly are vaccines made?
