Which vaccine should you get?

Moderna, Pfizer appear to be equally effective

Posted 2/22/21

The Chronicle's covid-related updates are free as a public service.

Is it important which vaccine you are given?

Moderna or Pfizer now?

Johnson & Johnson sometime soon?

Based on …

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Which vaccine should you get?

Moderna, Pfizer appear to be equally effective

Posted

The Chronicle's covid-related updates are free as a public service.

Is it important which vaccine you are given?
Moderna or Pfizer now?
Johnson & Johnson sometime soon?
Based on your age, gender or race does it matter?
As for now, you’re unlikely to have a choice. 
Medical experts say it’s important to take whichever vaccine is offered.
Just don't mix them.
Your 2nd dose should be the same as the 1st.
Pfizer and Moderna vaccines have been highly effective and with little negative reaction. 
As more vaccines become available and we have more detailed records of reactions to each, doctors may recommend different types of shots for different patients.
When you make an appointment for a vaccination, you can ask which they have, Pfizer or Moderna.
If a family member or friend has had a negative reaction to a particular vaccine, you may want to find a provider who can give you the other vaccine.
Many providers don’t tell you ahead of time about which vaccine they will have because they may not know until the day of your appointment.
Pfizer is more likely to be offered by hospitals, medical centers or large vaccine sites that have the ultra-cold storage we 1st thought was needed.
Moderna’s shots have less-extreme cold-storage need, making them more accessible to small pharmacies or doctors' offices.
Research has found Pfizer vaccine can be delivered and stored at -4° F - similar to most freezers. 
If the FDA approves, that should make Pfizer vaccine more accessible.
When the FDA authorizes Johnson & Johnson vaccine, it’s likely to help rural areas without extreme-cold storage and requires only a single shot.
With more data later, it will be easier for doctors to know if certain vaccines are better for different ages, genders and races.
 

Pfizer, Moderna, vaccine, Johnson, vaccination

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