Our program today was presented by Marisela Garcia, the Health Education Specialist at the center of Community Alliance for Research and Education at City of Hope. She is a certified health education specialist who got her degree from Cal State Fullerton.

Marisela’s subject was the Covid vaccine, truth vs. myth. She gave us some statistics on percentages of people that have received the shots. In the U.S. 64% have received one dose and 55% have had two. In California, 66% have had one and 59% have had two.

The normal time it takes to develop a vaccine is 10 to 15 years. With the Pandemic the government, FDA, and CDC were able to get the vaccines developed and put through trials in less than a year.

Marisela talked about a number of myths around the side effects of the vaccine. Some believe it causes infertility, and also miscarriages. These myths have been proven false. Others believe the vaccines cause changes in DNA. The MRNA vaccine does not enter the nucleus where the DNA is stored. The myth that if you have had COVID you don’t need the vaccine is not true. Also, some believe the side effects are dangerous. This is also not true. The side effects are normally short term.The reasons to get the vaccinations are mainly to reduce the chances of severe disease, and to prevent future outbreaks.

After the talk, Marisela answered a few questions. When will masks not be required? They continue to help keep the virus from spreading. When and where will Booster shots be given? She recommended contacting your pharmacy. Why is the Black population’s participation so low in getting the vaccine? It is mainly a distrust of the information that has been disseminated. Which booster shot is recommended? She said you should get the same vaccine as your original shot.