False claims about the COVID-19 vaccines continue to leave questions about how the vaccines work. One of those claims puts in question how vaccines impact your DNA.
THE QUESTION:
- Does the COVID-19 vaccine alter DNA?
THE SOURCES:
- CDC
- Infectious Diseases Society of America
- Dr. Joseph Gastaldo with OhioHealth
THE ANSWER:
- No, the COVID-19 vaccine does not alter your DNA.
WHAT WE FOUND:
Dr. Gastaldo said it helps to understand how the vaccines work.
"We have mRNA vaccines the "m" stands for messenger. When you get injected, it taken up by your cell and it stays in a part of your cell no where close to where your DNA is," Dr. Gastaldo said. "Our cells use messenger RNA every day. Messenger RNA is an unstable compound. It doesn't last that long. So when you get injected with messenger RNA vaccines it does not change your DNA and it is degraded in a short period of time."
The Moderna and Pfizer vaccines use mRNA technology. Meanwhile, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine uses the more traditional virus-based technology.
Gastaldo said this is also important to know.
"There are no vaccines out there in the whole history of vaccines, there has never been a vaccine produced to date that changes or alters your DNA or genetic material," Dr. Gastaldo said.
To learn more about the COVID 19 vaccines and how they work, you can visit the CDC website and the Infectious Diseases Society of America website.