This article was last updated March 5, 2021.

Dec. 13, 2020 -- Two vaccines have been approved for use in
the United States a third and fourth are coming soon. Here’s a
closer look at them and what it might mean for you.

Vaccine Johnson &

developer: Pfizer Moderna AstraZeneca Johnson

How it works Messenger RNA Messenger RNA Inactivated Modi ed

cold virus cold virus

When Dec. 11 Dec. 18 Could submit Feb. 27

approved/expected application
approval for
emergency
use
authorization
in late
March.

What percentage 95% 94.1% 70% 66.1%

of people did it globally;
protect from 72% in the
getting infected in U.S.; 86%
clinical studies? effective
against
severe
disease

How many shots Two doses, 3 weeks Two doses, 4 weeks Two doses, a One dose
do you need? apart apart month apart

What are the side Fatigue, headache, Fever, muscle Injection site Injection
effects? chills, muscle pain, aches, headaches pain, fever, site pain,
especially after the lasting a few days. muscle headache,
second dose. Effects worse after aches, fatigue,
second dose. headache. muscle
pain.

How many doses 50 million, starting 20 million, starting 3 billion 100 million
will be available, Dec. 18; 1.3 billion Dec. 21; 80 million planned for doses by
and when? in 2021 for U.S. in 2021 2021 summer
 

Who is it People 16 years and People 18 years and Not yet People 18
recommended for? older older. available. years and
older.

What about Pregnant women or There's limited data. Not yet Discuss
pregnant women nursing moms who Studies in rats who available. your
and nursing want the COVID-19 were immunized options
moms? vaccine should get before and during with your
one, experts say. pregnancy found no healthcare
The vaccine has not safety concerns. provider.
yet been studied in The CDC says
pregnant women. pregnant women
Read guidelines may choose to
here. receive the vaccine.

Is there anyone People with a People with a Not yet Anyone

who shouldn’t get history of allergic history of allergic available. who's had a
the vaccine? reactions to vaccine reactions to vaccine severe
ingredients ingredients allergic
including including reaction to
polyethylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, an
and anyone with a and anyone with a ingredient
history of allergic history of allergic in the
reactions to reactions to vaccine.
polysorbate. polysorbate.

Any signi cant 50 cases of 21 cases of Four total One person

side effects? anaphylaxis in anaphylaxis in serious side went to the
people who received people who received effects, hospital for
the vaccine, mostly the vaccine, all in including two fever
women. women. cases of associated
transverse with the
Four cases of Bell's Four cases of Bell's myelitis. vaccine.
palsy, a type of palsy reported in the Four other
temporary facial clinical trials serious
paralysis, reported including 3 in the cases were
in people who vaccine group, and not related
received the 1 in the placebo to the
vaccine. This is not group. This is not vaccine. No
more than would be more than would be serious
expected in the expected in the cases of
general population. general population. anaphylaxis
were
reported.

What about people Ok for people Ok for people Not yet Not yet
with lowered whose immune whose immune available. available.
immune function? function is lowered function is lowered
by HIV or by HIV or
immunosuppressing immunosuppressing
drugs if they have drugs if they have
no other reasons to no other reasons to
avoid it. There is avoid it. There is
limited safety data limited safety data
in this group. in this group.

What about people No data are No data are Not yet Not yet
with autoimmune available on the available on the available. available.
diseases? safety or safety or
effectiveness of effectiveness of
mRNA vaccines in mRNA vaccines in
people with people with
autoimmune autoimmune
disease. People disease. People
with autoimmune with autoimmune
conditions may still conditions may still
 get the shots if they get the shots if they
have no other have no other
reasons to avoid reasons to avoid
vaccination. vaccination.

Is the vaccine safe To date, no cases of To date, no cases of Not yet Not yet
for people with a GBS have been seen GBS have been seen available. available.
history of Guillain- in people in people
Barre Syndrome vaccinated for vaccinated for
(GBS)? COVID-19. The CDC COVID-19. The CDC
says a history of says a history of
GBS is not a reason GBS is not a reason
to avoid to avoid
vaccination. vaccination.

WebMD Health News

Sources 
STAT: “Detailed data on AstraZeneca-Oxford Covid-19 vaccine show it has moderate efficacy.”
The New York Times: “Moderna Applies for Emergency F.D.A. Approval for Its Coronavirus Vaccine.”
USA Today: “Are there side effects to a COVID-19 vaccine? What are the 'ingredients'? The cost?
Answers to your vaccine questions,” “Moderna becomes second company to request emergency FDA
authorization for COVID-19 vaccine candidate,” “Pfizer to seek approval from FDA 'within days' after
further analysis finds COVID-19 vaccine 95% effective.”
Medscape: “CDC Panel Recommends Pfizer's COVID-19 Vaccine for People 16 and Over.”
Medscape: “Experts: Pregnant Women Can Get COVID-Vaccine.”
Medscape: "Second COVID-19 Panel Ready for Use, CDC Says."
CDC: "Interim Clinical Considerations for Use of mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines Currently Authorized in
the United States," "Allergic Reactions Including Anaphylaxis After Receipt of the First Dose of Pfizer-
BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine — United States, December 14–23, 2020," "Allergic Reactions Including
Anaphylaxis After Receipt of the First Dose of Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine — United States,
December 21, 2020–January 10, 2021," "“Interim Clinical Considerations for Use of mRNA COVID-19
Vaccines Currently Authorized in the United States.”
New England Journal of Medicine: “Interim Results of a Phase 1-2a Trial of Ad26.COV2.S Covid-19
Vaccine.”
News release, Johnson & Johnson.
CDC: Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices meeting, Jan. 27, 2021.
News release, National Institutes of Health.

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