Throughout the many months of the pandemic, anxiety, fear, and a lack of information have left many not only vulnerable to the virus but also at risk for accepting misinformation and falling for scams. Early on, agebuzz provided recommended websites for accurate and up-to-date info because the spread of myths and untruths was as vicious as the virulence of the virus. And now, with the speedy development of effective vaccines and the chaotic nature of their distribution, new myths and scams are spreading, which not only cause vaccine hesitancy but can also leave you vulnerable to identity theft or financial fraud. Older adults, in particular, may be especially at risk due to fatigue from so many months of pandemic isolation and anxiety about getting access to these potentially life-saving vaccinations. In fact, a new study out of Italy reports that fear in response to COVID has left many to be vulnerable to not recognizing, and even sharing, misinformation about the virus. As one expert stated, “In times of uncertainty, people often seek out information to help alleviate fear, possibly leaving them vulnerable to false information.”

So what are the half-truths, untruths, and outright falsehoods about COVID and the vaccines that are keeping people frightened and reluctant to be vaccinated? Some myths have developed due to the speed of vaccine development and the type of technology employed. The bottom line? Corners were not cut and shortcuts were not taken in developing the vaccines. In fact, years of research preceded the specific development of these COVID vaccines, and no, the vaccines neither tamper with your DNA nor put you at risk of becoming infected with the coronavirus itself. Nor will you become infertile if you are a younger woman, and no, the vaccines do not involve the use of microchips or fetal tissue. What we don’t know, however, is whether this one vaccine will cover you for life or whether the COVID vaccine will more likely follow the path of the flu vaccine, where yearly boosters to address virus variations will become necessary and commonplace. Currently, we just don’t have data on the long term immunity strength of the vaccine. For some additional accurate and trustworthy facts about the COVID vaccine, roll up your shirtsleeve and read here.

Regarding those circulating COVID scams, you need to be careful about not exposing yourself to fraud and manipulation in your desire to be vaccinated and become COVID-free. So, for example, no supplier can ship the vaccine directly to you at home and no official vaccine site should ask you for private information or payment for additional testing prior to giving you the vaccine. You also should not be asked to pay for your vaccination nor be offered a chance to “jump the line” in exchange for an extra payment. Law enforcement officials and FBI agents have reported an uptick in scammer activity as fraudsters try to pry your personal and financial info while promising you vaccine access. And be careful about domain names that send you unsolicited emails or texts– they may very well have malicious software that can infect your computer rather than provide you accelerated access to the vaccine. And if you’ve been lucky enough to get the vaccine, by all means, share that info- but don’t post a photo of your vaccine card on your Facebook account, as you may be inviting identity theft. Finally, new crackdowns are being employed by Facebook to lessen or even eliminate the spread of inaccurate and debunked information about the vaccines among the pages you peruse.

The good news is that more than 17 million adults over 65 have now received at least their first vaccine shot in the United States, translating into 4 out of 10 vaccine recipients so far being older adults. And news out of Israel, which has had a highly successful rate of vaccinating its population, shows that there have been declines in infection rates and hospitalization among older adults as the vaccines take effect. Now we just have to hold out for comparable success in ensuring misinformation and fraud don’t ruin this critical vaccine campaign.