COVID Vaccine Comparison
At this time, there are three COVID-19 vaccines that are authorized by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for emergency use: Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson.
In many ways, these vaccines are alike, including the fact that they were developed using the same rigorous vaccine testing process as all vaccines in the U.S. Most importantly, all three vaccines are nearly 100 percent effective at preventing hospitalization and death.
Still deciding about the vaccine or know someone who is? See these 7 reasons to get the vaccine.
Comparing the Vaccines
How the Vaccines Are the Same
- All three vaccines are nearly 100 percent effective at preventing hospitalization and death.
- The vaccines are not approved for children under age 12. The vaccines' clinical trials did not initially test them in children, but studies are ongoing. Children under age 12 will not be vaccinated until additional studies are done.
- The vaccines cannot make you sick. None of the vaccines contain the live virus or any component of the virus that causes COVID-19.
- Vaccinated people may still be able to transmit the virus to others.
How the Vaccines Are Different
Moderna Vaccine
Vaccine type: Messenger RNA (mRNA)
Vaccine components: View FDA Fact Sheet
Dosing: 2 doses of the same vaccine, a minimum of 28 days apart
Time to reach full protection: 14 days after second dose
Authorized for: People age 18 and up
Storage: Cold (-13 to 5 degrees Fahrenheit)
Pfizer-BioNTech Vaccine
Vaccine type: Messenger RNA (mRNA)
Vaccine components: View FDA Fact Sheet
Dosing: 2 doses of the same vaccine, a minimum of 21 days apart
Time to reach full protection: 14 days after second dose
Authorized for: People age 12 and up
Storage: Ultracold (-112 to -76 degrees Fahrenheit)
Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) Vaccine
Vaccine type: Viral vector
Vaccine components: View FDA Fact Sheet
Dosing: 1 dose
Time to reach full protection: 28 days after vaccination (one dose only)
Authorized for: People age 18 and up
Storage: Refrigeration
About the Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) Vaccine
Updated 8/6/2021
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