COVID-19 vaccines were developed within a very short span, and they were found to be effective in most of the vaccinated population. Various varieties of vaccines were developed by different nations after conducting extensive research on the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved three vaccines so far, and Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines are among them.
- Moderna and Pfizer vaccines were made using messenger RNA (mRNA).
- After entering the body, the mRNA provokes your immune system.
- As a response to these vaccines, your body produces an immune response against spike protein—a special protein present on the surface of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Although Moderna and Pfizer vaccines are made using the same technology and have near similar effects on the body, there are certain differences among them that have been highlighted in the following table.
| Vaccine name | Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine | Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine |
|---|---|---|
| Technology | mRNA vaccine | mRNA vaccine |
| Mode of action | The vaccine provides a tiny piece of genetic code from the SARS-CoV-2 virus to host immune cells and provoke them to produce antibodies against spike protein | The vaccine provides a tiny piece of genetic code from the SARS-CoV-2 virus to host immune cells and provoke them to produce antibodies against spike protein |
| Status | FDA-approved | FDA-approved |
| Authorization date | December 18, 2020 | December 11, 2020 |
| Age | 18 years and older | 12 years and older |
| Eligibility, Emergency use authorization | 18 years and older | 5 years and older |
| Dosage | Two doses 28 days apart |
Two doses 21 days apart:
|
| Booster dose |
A single dose is given after:
|
A single dose is given after:
|
| Fully effective | 14 days after the second dose | 14 days after the second dose |
|
Effectiveness (may vary as clinic trials are going on) |
|
|
| Protection | Against severe COVID-19 | Against severe COVID-19 |
| Highly effective against which viral mutations |
|
|
| Side effects |
Rare:
|
Rare:
|
| FDA warning |
Possible inflammation of the heart such as
|
Possible inflammation of the heart such as
|
| Clinical trials | Under phase III clinical trials | Under phase III clinical trials |
| Distributed | Free of cost | Free of cost |
Are COVID-19 vaccines safe?
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved COVID-19 vaccines as safe for humans after conducting various clinical trials on animals and healthy humans.
Every day, hundreds of thousands of physicians, nurses, elders, and others are immunized to show that the vaccines are safe. To date, millions of citizens have been fully vaccinated across the country.
Booster doses that are given to fully vaccinated people make their immunity strong against the SARS-Cov-2 virus.
Medically Reviewed on 12/7/2021
References
Image Source: iStock Images
Types of Vaccines Available: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/different-vaccines.html
Comparing the COVID-19 Vaccines: How Are They Different?: https://www.yalemedicine.org/news/covid-19-vaccine-comparison
Types of Vaccines Available: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/different-vaccines.html
Comparing the COVID-19 Vaccines: How Are They Different?: https://www.yalemedicine.org/news/covid-19-vaccine-comparison
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