ATLANTA — There are a lot of myths floating around when it comes to the COVID-19 vaccine.
11Alive's Verify team asked the lead investigators of Moderna's clinical trials, what rumors she wanted to put to rest once and for all.
Her response was the rumors about the vaccine altering DNA.
QUESTION
Does the COVID-19 vaccine change your DNA?
ANSWER
No, the COVID-19 vaccines do not change your DNA.
SOURCES
WHAT WE FOUND
While many vaccines place a weakened germ into the body's system, the COVID-19 vaccines are different.
These messenger RNA vaccines instead show cells how to make a protein that initiates an immune response.
Moderna's investigator Dr. Colleen Kelley says because messenger RNA sounds like DNA, it can be misleading.
"Just to let people know. When the messenger RNA in the vaccine is injected in your muscle cell, all that it's doing is telling your muscle cell to produce that spike in protein to allow your body to produce an antibody response. The messenger RNA does not enter the nucleus where your DNA is housed. It's not possible to alter your DNA or integrate into your DNA in anyway," Dr. Kelley explained.
The CDC reiterates that MRNA from the vaccine does not affect or interact with a person's DNA.
So we can Verify claims the vaccine changes a person's DNA are false.
11Alive's Verify team is here to fact-check claims being shared in the community and online. Fill out the form below with something you'd like us to Verify.