There are currently three brands of COVID-19 vaccine available in the United States: Pfizer (Spikevax), Moderna (Comirnaty), and Novavax.
Pfizer and Moderna The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines rely on a genetic molecule called messenger RNA (mRNA). Instructions contained within the mRNA cause a person’s own cells to make a harmless piece of a so-called spike protein — resembling the spike protein on the surface of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
Novavax The Novavax COVID-19 vaccine uses a more traditional vaccine technology than the mRNA vaccines. Novavax is a protein subunit vaccine, meaning it contains pieces of the actual coronavirus’s spike protein, and thus teaches the immune system how to recognize SARS-CoV-2. The vaccine also contains a substance called an adjuvant, which amps up the immune response.
Which Vaccine Should I Get?
Since all the COVID vaccines offer good protection against the virus, Paul Pottinger, MD, an infectious-disease doctor at UW Medicine in Seattle, recommends getting the one that’s most convenient for you.
You may also consider your past experience with side effects when making your decision, says Dr. Pottinger.
“If people have had a good experience with one particular manufacturer in the past, they may want to choose that again. On the other hand, if they’ve had an experience that they did not like because of a mild side effect, they should feel very safe and encouraged to switch it up, although there’s no promise that a different manufacturer will have a different side effect profile,” he says.
Who Should Get the COVID-19 Vaccine?
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has okayed the updated Moderna and Pfizer vaccines for everyone 6 months old and up and the updated Novavax vaccine for people 12 and older.
If you have any issues or had a previous reaction to a COVID vaccine, which is rare, you should talk with your healthcare provider about your specific concerns, Pottinger says.
What Does It Mean That the Vaccines Have Been ‘Updated’?
The coronavirus that causes COVID-19 is constantly changing, and vaccine manufacturers are continually reformulating their vaccines to match.
The updated Novavax vaccine targets JN.1, a predecessor of KP.2.
Reformulating COVID vaccines to match a new mutation improves their effectiveness, but the vaccine doesn’t have to be a perfect match to work well, says Pottinger.
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