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1 day ago · In terms of doses given, Novavax trails far behind Moderna’s and Pfizer’s COVID vaccines, placing dead last. Estimates vary, but as of Aug. 10, in the U.S., more than 400 million Pfizer doses ...
Nov 24, 2023 · Moderna? Novavax? There’s a lot going on here. An important point: Infectious disease doctors stress that the best COVID-19 vaccine is the one you’ll actually get. That being said, there are...
Aug 4, 2022 · In general, though, the timing of your last infection or booster is a better gauge of when you need another shot than the specific formulation of the next booster, according to Pekosz.
Sep 26, 2023 · With a new booster available, it’s time to look at whether switching up your shots makes a difference in your immunity.
- Overview
- Best COVID-19 vaccines for adults
- Best COVID-19 vaccines for children
- Best COVID-19 vaccines for those who are immunocompromised
- Guidelines for getting vaccinated and staying up to date
- Takeaway
There are currently three COVID-19 vaccines in use in the United States. All three of these vaccines are safe and effective in protecting you from COVID-19, particularly when it comes to hospitalization and death.
However, you may be wondering which of these three vaccines is best for you. The answer to this question can depend on your age and overall health. Keep reading to learn more.
Healthy adults have the option of receiving any of the three COVID-19 vaccines. These are the:
•Pfizer mRNA vaccine
•Moderna mRNA vaccine
•Johnson & Johnson (J&J) adenoviral vector vaccine
The CDC recommends that everyone ages 5 and older should be vaccinated against COVID-19. As of writing, the Pfizer vaccine is the only vaccine that’s authorized for children.
Currently, all children ages 5 and older can receive the Pfizer vaccine. Additionally, all children ages 12 and older may receive a booster dose of this vaccine.
However, with the emergence of the Omicron variant, research has found that the Pfizer vaccine isn’t very effective in children ages 5 to 11. A 2022 study, currently in preprint, evaluated vaccine effectiveness within this age range in the months of December 2021 and January 2022. Researchers found that vaccine effectiveness drastically declined from 68 percent to just 11 percent.
A side effect that some people may be concerned about with mRNA vaccines like the Pfizer vaccine is myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart. While this side effect is rare, it’s most often seen in male adolescents and young adults.
A 2021 study of 139 young adults and adolescents with suspected myocarditis after COVID-19 vaccination found that most people had a mild illness that resolved quickly with treatment.
Further, another 2021 study found that the risk of myocarditis was actually higher after having COVID-19 than it was after vaccination.
People who are immunocompromised are at an increased risk of severe illness or death due to COVID-19. This includes people who:
•are taking immunosuppressant drugs
•are receiving cancer treatment
•have received an organ or stem cell transplant
•are living with HIV
•have an inherited immunodeficiency syndrome
In order to stay protected from COVID-19, it’s important to stay up to date on your COVID-19 vaccines. But what exactly does this mean?
According to the CDC, you’re up to date on your COVID-19 vaccines when you’ve received both your primary vaccine series and your booster dose.
If you’ve received just your primary vaccine series, you are considered fully vaccinated but not up to date.
The chart below helps to explain in more detail when you’re fully vaccinated versus when you’re up to date.
Overall, receiving any of the COVID-19 vaccines is considered to be better than remaining unvaccinated. This is because all of the COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective at protecting you from serious illness or death due to COVID-19.
Some vaccines are recommended over others, however. According to the CDC, receiving an mRNA vaccine is preferred over the J&J vaccine for both healthy and immunocompromised adults.
Children can only receive one type of COVID-19 vaccine at this time. This is the Pfizer vaccine.
More vaccines are also in the pipeline, so be sure to keep your eyes peeled. One of these is the Novavax vaccine, which uses recombinant spike protein from the novel coronavirus. While its effectiveness against the Delta and Omicron variants hasn’t yet been evaluated, large-scale clinical trials showed that the vaccine effectiveness of this vaccine was 90.4 percent against earlier variants.
Apr 19, 2024 · The FDA is calling the newest shots “updated vaccines” in anticipation of needing to provide updated formulas annually, similar to the flu shot, which changes each year. A booster shot gives a “boost” to the recipient's existing immunity from a previous vaccination.
Jan 26, 2023 · The CDC recommends the new vaccine as a single booster dose at least two months following your most recent COVID-19 vaccine (whether it was completing two doses of a primary series or a booster). Should you wait longer than two months between boosters?
