Everything you need to know about the 3 COVID-19 vaccines

There are currently three COVID-19 vaccines approved for use in the United States. All three vaccines have been shown to be safe and effective against coronavirus.

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As vaccine eligibility expands across the country, millions of Americans are receiving vaccines every day. Here is everything you need to know about each of the three options.

Pfizer-BioNTech

The Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine (an mRNA vaccine) was the first to receive authorization in the United States; the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted the vaccine an emergency use authorization (USA) last December. The shots began to go to arms in the U.S. on December 14, 2020.

The Pfizer vaccine requires two doses, three weeks apart, and is approved for anyone over the age of 16; people are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving the second dose of the vaccine.

Although the vaccine has not been officially approved in pregnant women, they are encouraged to discuss their options with their doctors. Pfizer launched its clinical trials of its COVID-19 vaccine on pregnant women in February. A recent study of pregnant women who received the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines found that pregnant or breastfeeding mothers showed a robust immune response to vaccines and antibodies were present in their umbilical cord blood and breast milk. The company also started clinical tests on children under 16 years old.

Real-world studies show that the vaccine is 90% effective in adults, and preliminary clinical trial research shows that the vaccine can be 100% effective in children aged 12 to 15 years. Recent data also show that the vaccine is 94% effective in preventing transmission of the virus. The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine also appears to be effective against variants, with new research showing that it is effective against the South African variant and other research indicating that it works against the British variant.

People who receive the Pfizer vaccine may experience mild, flu-like side effects, with the possibility of more serious side effects after the second dose. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, side effects usually begin a day or two after receiving the vaccine. The most commonly reported side effects include localized reactions, such as swelling or pain at the injection site, fatigue, chills, fever or headache. The CDC recommends that people who are not feeling better after 24 hours contact their doctor. There have been some reports of allergic reactions.

Modern

Moderna’s coronavirus vaccine (also an mRNA vaccine) received a USA by the FDA on December 18, 2020, and people started receiving doses of the vaccine soon after.

The Modern vaccine requires two doses, with an interval of four weeks. People who receive the Moderna vaccine are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after the second dose. Real-world studies show that the vaccine is 90% effective in adults. Moderna is currently testing reinforcement shots against the South African variant.

The Modern vaccine has been approved for adults over 18 years of age. Like the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, the Modern vaccine has not been officially approved in pregnant women, but expectant mothers can consult their doctors to make a decision about receiving vaccinations. A recent study found that new and pregnant mothers who received the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines also passed antibodies to their children. Moderna also started testing on younger children.

The Modern vaccine has side effects similar to those reported in other coronavirus vaccines. The Modern vaccine is more likely to result in mild and temporary skin reactions, such as redness at the injection site, about a week after administering a dose of the vaccine.

Johnson & Johnson

The Johnson & Johnson vaccine, a viral vector, which received the United States on February 27, requires only one dose, which many believe will help speed up the United States’ vaccination efforts. People who receive the Johnson & Johnson vaccine are considered to be fully vaccinated two weeks after vaccination.

The Johnson & Johnson vaccine has a lower efficacy rate than the other two vaccines, about 72% in the United States. However, the single dose vaccine is extremely effective in preventing severe COVID-19, and no participant in the clinical trial who received the vaccine was hospitalized or died of the coronavirus.

The vaccine is authorized in adults aged 18 and over. Like the other two vaccines, it has not been tested on pregnant women, but people who are waiting are encouraged to talk to their doctors to make a decision about vaccination. At the US request, the company said it plans to test the vaccine on pregnant women and younger children.

The Johnson & Johnson vaccine has been tested in Latin America and South Africa, where there are two alarming variants. Experts believe that this may be responsible for its lower reported rate of effectiveness. In Latin America, the effectiveness of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine was 66%, and in South Africa, the effectiveness dropped to 64%. However, even vaccinated people who have contracted the variant strains of the virus have not been hospitalized.

Data from clinical trials showed that the most common side effects were fever, fatigue, headache, muscle pain and pain at the injection site. Side effects were common seven days after vaccination; Side effects were more common in people 18 to 59 years old than in people 60 and older, according to the CDC.

Experts have repeatedly emphasized that all three vaccines are safe and effective and, as soon as you are eligible, get the vaccine that is offered to you first.

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