The main benefit of COVID-19 vaccines is in reducing the risk of severe disease. They are also safe and the evidence indicates that they aren’t associated with increased all-cause mortality. Furthermore, they limit SARS-CoV-2 transmission, although their effectiveness in this regard varies depending on the SARS-CoV-2 variant and the amount of time elapsed since vaccination.
COVID-19 cases have shown a tendency to peak during the winter. COVID-19 vaccines were initially highly effective against both infection and severe disease. The emergence of more infectious viral variants greatly diminished the vaccines’ effectiveness against infection, but the vaccines remain highly effective at protecting people from developing severe disease and death, which is their main purpose.
Unlike many other countries during the COVID-19 pandemic, New Zealand experienced fewer deaths compared to the pre-pandemic baseline in 2020 and 2021, as a result of COVID-19 restrictions. Since the restrictions were lifted, mortality rates in the elderly have risen. This is likely due to a return of respiratory viruses like the flu, and likely represents a return to baseline mortality, not an increase in excess mortality due to COVID-19 vaccines. Published studies so far have found no association between COVID-19 vaccines and an increased mortality risk.
Both infection and vaccination can provide some protective immunity against COVID-19. However, these two pathways are neither equivalent nor mutually exclusive. Acquiring immunity through infection requires the person to expose themself to the disease. While most people will only develop a mild infection, some might end up with severe illness or even die. By contrast, vaccination is a much safer strategy for acquiring immunity and can also enhance protection in people who already have immunity from a past infection.
Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection can be spread by skin-to-skin contact, often through vaginal, anal, or oral sex. While many HPV infections are eventually cleared by the body’s immune system, certain types of HPV can cause cancers of the cervix, vagina, vulva, penis, anus, or back of the throat. HPV vaccination, combined with regular cervical cancer screenings, can reduce the risk of cervical cancer.
Concerns over the potential health effects of residual DNA in biological products like vaccines aren’t new or unknown to regulatory agencies. Regulatory agencies like the U.S. Food and Drug Administration have recommended specific limits on the amount of residual DNA in a vaccine. DNA-containing vaccines, such as the chickenpox vaccine—a live attenuated vaccine containing a DNA virus—have also been widely used before the pandemic and have been shown to be safe.
COVID-19 vaccines are safe during pregnancy, both for the mother and the unborn child. Getting COVID-19 vaccines while pregnant doesn’t increase the risk of infant mortality. In fact, being protected against severe COVID-19 may lower the risk of pregnancy complications.
Ventilators were commonly deployed for critically ill COVID-19 patients who developed trouble breathing. The way ventilators were used initially during the pandemic was based on doctors’ experiences of treating other, known types of pneumonia. Over time, as doctors gained a better understanding of COVID-19, their approach to ventilator use also evolved. While it is probable that ventilators were used on some patients who might not have needed it in the end, the claim that ventilators, not COVID-19, were responsible for killing the majority of COVID-19 patients isn’t substantiated by evidence.
Ample evidence from safety surveillance and published studies continue to show that COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective, and that their benefits outweigh their risks. The vaccines are also safe before and during pregnancy, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that people who are pregnant or willing to conceive receive a COVID-19 vaccine.
Getting COVID-19 while pregnant is associated with a higher risk of developing severe disease and pregnancy complications. Abundant data show that vaccination during pregnancy is safe for the mother and the unborn child and effectively reduces the risks of complications from the disease.
