COVID-19 vaccines have been crucial in combating the infamous respiratory illness by offering protection against severe disease and death. For that, we’re incredibly grateful!
Keep our gratitude in mind when we ask this next question because we really don’t mean to look a gift horse in the mouth. However, with several different COVID-19 vaccine options available…How can one know which brand will work best for them, specifically?
Especially when everybody — and every body — is different.
Well, understanding the similarities and differences between COVID-19 vaccines is the first step to making an informed decision. That’s why we’ve laid out the technology, efficacy, side effects, and more of the three most common COVID-19 vaccines below. Read on to learn about comparing COVID vaccines, but before you do, remember: Any COVID-19 vaccine works better than no vaccine.
In This Article:
- Understanding How COVID-19 Vaccines Work
- Comparing COVID Vaccines: Pfizer, Moderna, Novavax
- A Deeper Look at Key Factors for Comparing COVID Vaccines
- But Wait, What About Booster Shots and Updated Vaccines?
Understanding How COVID-19 Vaccines Work
Before we dive into comparing COVID vaccines, it’s important to first understand how vaccines like these work.
At their core, vaccines are designed to coach your immune system in both recognizing and fighting viruses. By exposing your immune system to a small portion of a particular bacteria/virus, it has the opportunity to develop specialized immune cells for that specific illness. Then, should you meet that virus again in the wild, your immune system will have a game plan for handling it.
Hence why Dr. Neal likens vaccines to training camps for your immune system! However, each vaccine type uses a different approach to achieve this.
The most common COVID-19 vaccine options work by either mRNA or protein subunits.
- mRNA Vaccines: These vaccines use messenger RNA to instruct cells to produce a protein that triggers an immune response. The COVID-19 vaccines that use this technology are Pfizer and Moderna.
- Protein Subunit Vaccines: These vaccines use harmless pieces of the virus to stimulate an immune response. Novavax, another of the three most common COVID-19 vaccines, uses protein subunits.
Learn More: Vaccine Ingredients in 2024: Less Scary Than You Might Think
Comparing COVID Vaccines: Pfizer, Moderna, Novavax
With that background knowledge under our belts, let’s look into the specifics of the three COVID-19 vaccines most commonly available.
Pfizer-BioNTech (Comirnaty)
- Technology: mRNA
- Dosage and Administration: Two doses, administered three weeks apart.
- Efficacy: The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine has demonstrated high efficacy, with an initial efficacy rate of around 95% in preventing symptomatic COVID-19. Although this rate can vary with emerging variants, it remains highly effective in preventing severe illness, hospitalization, and death.
- Storage Requirements: This vaccine requires ultra-cold storage at around -94 degrees F (-70 degrees C), which can present logistical challenges.
The side effects of the Pfizer vaccine are typically mild and resolve within a few days. Some of the sensations you might experience after receiving this vaccine include fatigue, headache, muscle pain, chills, fever, and pain at the injection site.
Moderna
- Technology: mRNA
- Dosage and Administration: Two doses, administered four weeks apart.
- Efficacy: Moderna’s vaccine has shown an efficacy of approximately 94% in preventing symptomatic COVID-19 in clinical trials. Like Pfizer-BioNTech, it remains effective against severe illness caused by variants.
- Storage Requirements: Moderna’s vaccine requires freezing but can be stored at standard freezer temperatures (-4 degrees F or -20 degrees C), making it slightly easier to handle than Pfizer-BioNTech.
The side effects associated with the Moderna vaccine are pretty similar to those of Pfizer-BioNTech, with fatigue, headache, and muscle pain being the most common. Although, some people also report more intense side effects after the second dose.
Novavax
- Technology: Protein subunit
- Dosage and Administration: Two doses, administered three weeks apart.
- Efficacy: Novavax’s vaccine has shown high efficacy, particularly in preventing severe illness and hospitalization. Clinical trials have reported an efficacy of about 90% against symptomatic COVID-19.
- Storage Requirements: This vaccine requires standard refrigeration temperatures, making it easier to distribute and store.
Some folks have self-reported milder side effects with the Novavax vaccine compared to Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna. Altogether, though, the side effect profile of Novavax is considered similar to the other brands.
Learn More: Vaccines Do Work, But They’re Not Perfect
A Deeper Look at Key Factors for Comparing COVID Vaccines
If the specifications of the COVID-19 vaccines above didn’t make your decision any easier, don’t fret. Aside from the core details, there are other aspects of these factors that can influence your choice between the available COVID-19 vaccines.
COVID-19 Vaccine Efficacy
Short answer: All vaccines authorized for use in the U.S. have demonstrated strong efficacy in preventing severe illness, hospitalization, and death due to COVID-19.
However, mRNA vaccines, and Moderna in particular due to its marginally higher dosing, offer slightly higher efficacy rates in preventing symptomatic infection. But don’t be mistaken! Novavax still offers robust protection, particularly against severe outcomes.
Storage and Handling
The storage requirements for Pfizer-BioNTech (ultra-cold) can be challenging, especially in less equipped settings, while Moderna and Novavax are more manageable with standard refrigeration. While this might not factor into your decision between brands, it could impact the accessibility of the Pfizer-BioNTech at your local vaccine clinic.
Before you schedule your 2024 COVID-19 vaccine, be sure to speak with both your healthcare provider and your vaccine clinic of choice for more information on eligibility and availability.
Side Effects
All vaccines come with some level of side effects, but these are generally mild and short-lived. We like to think of them as tangible signs that your immune system is getting an “upgrade” that will make it more efficient at fighting illness in the future.
The most common side effects of COVID-19 vaccines include pain at the injection site, fatigue, and headache. While it has been reported by some individuals that the Novavax vaccine has more benign side effects than its mRNA counterparts, the side effects of all three are, as we said, short-lived.
Learn More: 2024 COVID-19 Vaccine Rundown: Everything You Need to Know
But Wait, What About Booster Shots and Updated Vaccines?
Booster shots have become a crucial facet of comprehensive care and protection against the COVID-19 virus. Why? Well, the ongoing circulation of frequently mutating COVID-19 variants has made it a bit of a race against the disease.
Thankfully, however, vaccine scientists are continuously updating their formulas to offer better protection against emerging and circulating variants. Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and Novavax all offer booster doses that have been specially formulated with this in mind.
So, even if you received a COVID-19 vaccine in the past, it might be time for another dose of the latest version if you want to stay protected. Generally, these updated doses become available in late summer but always check with your healthcare provider before scheduling to ensure you’re eligible to receive a booster shot.
Learn More: Dr. Neal’s Vaccine Recommendations Rundown: Who Needs What and When
Making an Informed Decision After Comparing COVID Vaccines
When it comes to choosing the right COVID-19 vaccine for you, you’ll have to consider your personal health, the vaccine’s availability, and local public health guidance. Fortunately, however, brand loyalty doesn’t have to be a major factor in your decision.
All authorized vaccines in the U.S. are safe and effective, and getting vaccinated remains the most important step in protecting yourself and others from COVID-19. So, if you were hoping that we’d choose one of the three vaccines available and say, “You must get this one,” — we’re sorry.
But this is good news! It means that, regardless of which vaccine brand you choose, you’ll leave your vaccination appointment feeling primed and protected for peak COVID season. (And yes, maybe you’ll feel a little fatigued or sore, too, but that’ll pass quickly.)
Learn More: Vaccine Season Preview: 2024-2025
Stay Healthy and Well in 2024 with COVID-19 Vaccines
In case you scrolled to the bottom here for a recap, here are the important things to know about comparing the COVID vaccines:
- All COVID-19 vaccines available in the United States have their own strengths, and all have been proven effective (and safe!) by rigorous clinical trials.
- Both mRNA vaccines like Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna and protein subunit options like Novavax offer reliable, powerful protection.
- Regardless of which vaccine you choose, the most important thing is the vaccination itself!
If you want to take your COVID-19 protection a step further, staying aware of global COVID trends and keeping up-to-date on your boosters represents another crucial step toward controlling the epidemic and returning to a sense of normalcy.
We know — everyone is sick of hearing about COVID — but it looks like it’s here to stay. And as the old adage goes, you’re better off safe than sorry. So get your shot and do your part to keep yourself, your family, and your community healthy!
If you have any questions or concerns about the COVID-19 vaccines that we didn’t address here, give us a call. Because Village Apothecary is decidedly not a big-box pharmacy, our vaccination experts (who are humans, not chatbots!) are ready and able to answer your inquiries and simplify the vaccination process for you, specifically.
