COVID-19 vaccines are effective in protecting people from serious COVID infections. Although they won’t prevent a person from getting the virus, it reduces the risks of severe symptoms, hospitalization, and loss of life.
The vaccines against COVID-19 are continuously going through intensive safety monitoring. With the billions of vaccines that have already been administered in the United States and globally, health experts are confident to say that they’re safe and effective.
Currently, there are four COVID vaccines recommended in the US. Here’s a brief overview of each one:
Pfizer-BioNTech / COMIRNATY
The Pfizer-BioNTech is an mRNA vaccine. This type of vaccine is created in a laboratory and designed to teach human cells how to make a protein or a piece of protein that’ll trigger an immune response. This vaccine gets broken down and discarded from the body a few days after vaccination.
The Pfizer vaccine was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration on August 23, 2021. After this approval, the vaccine for people 12 years old and up began to be marketed with the brand name COMIRNATY.
The vaccine for 6 months to 11 years old retains the Pfizer-BioNTech brand name since it’s only FDA-authorized, not approved yet for this age group. Despite the changes in the label, the formula remains the same.
Ingredients
Messenger ribonucleic acid or mRNA
This is responsible for sending instructions to cells on how to create a harmless protein from a virus that causes COVID-19. The protein that the body creates then triggers the immune system to respond. This response will help protect the body in case it gets infected with COVID-19 in the future.
- Nucleoside-modified mRNA encoding the viral spike (S) glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2
Lipids or fats
These help the mRNA enter the cells in the body
- 2[(polyethylene glycol (PEG))-2000]-N,N-ditetradecylacetamide
- 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine
- Cholesterol (plant-derived)
- ((4-hydroxybutyl)azanediyl)bis(hexane-6,1-diyl)bis(2-hexyldecanoate)
Sugar and acid stabilizers
These work together to keep the vaccine stable during manufacturing, shipping, and storage until it’s ready for vaccination.
- Sucrose (table sugar)
- Tromethamine
- Tromethamine hydrochloride
Moderna
The Moderna vaccine is also an mRNA vaccine, using the same technology that Pfizer uses.
Moderna vaccine was approved by the US FDA on January 31, 2022. After this approval, the vaccine for people 18 years old and up began to be marketed with the brand name Spikevax.
The vaccine for 6 months to 17 years old retains the Moderna brand name since it’s only FDA-authorized, and not approved yet for this age group. Despite the changes in the label, the formula remains the same.
Ingredients
Messenger ribonucleic acid or mRNA
This is responsible for sending instructions to cells on how to create a harmless protein from a virus that causes COVID-19. The protein that the body creates then triggers the immune system to respond. This response will help protect the body in case it gets infected with COVID-19 in the future.
- Nucleoside-modified mRNA encoding the viral spike (S) glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2
Lipids or fats
These help the mRNA enter the cells in the body
- PEG2000-DMG: 1,2-dimyristoyl-rac-glycerol, methoxypolyethylene glycol
- 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine
- BotaniChol® (non-animal origin cholesterol)
- SM-102: heptadecane-9-yl 8-((2-hydroxyethyl) (6-oxo-6-(undecyloxy) hexyl) amino) octanoate
Salt, sugar, acid stabilizers, and acid
These work together to keep the vaccine stable during manufacturing, shipping, and storage until it’s ready for vaccination.
- Sodium acetate
- Sucrose (basic table sugar)
- Tromethamine
- Tromethamine hydrochloride
- Acetic acid (the main ingredient in white household vinegar)
Novavax
The Novavax vaccine is a protein subunit vaccine. This type of vaccine contains pieces of proteins of the virus that causes COVID-19. These pieces will be the spike protein. The vaccine also contains an adjuvant that helps the immune system react to the spike protein.
This response is like training for the immune system. So, when an actual virus spike protein enters the body, it would already know how to quickly protect the body. This vaccine is recommended for people 12 years old and older.
Ingredients
Protein
This induces a response from the immune system
- SARS-CoV-2 recombinant spike protein
Lipids or fats
Helps the recombinant spike protein enter the cells
- Cholesterol
- Phosphatidylcholine
Adjuvant
This helps the immune system respond to the spike protein
- Fraction-A and Fraction-C of Quillaja saponaria Molina extract
Salts, sugar, and acid
These work together to keep the vaccine stable during manufacturing, shipping, and storage until it’s ready for vaccination.
- Disodium hydrogen phosphate heptahydrate
- Disodium hydrogen phosphate dihydrate
- Polysorbate-80
- Potassium chloride (common food salt)
- Potassium dihydrogen phosphate (common food salt)
- Sodium chloride (basic table salt)
- Sodium dihydrogen phosphate monohydrate
- Sodium hydroxide or hydrochloric acid
- Water
Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen
The J&J/Janssen vaccine is a viral vector vaccine. This type of vaccine is a modified but harmless version of a different virus. It sends instructions to the cells on how to detect and fight the virus that causes COVID-19.
Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and Novavax vaccines are often recommended over this vaccine due to the risks of serious adverse effects. This may be considered for people who:
- Had a severe reaction from an mRNA vaccine dose
- Have a severe allergy to an ingredient of any mRNA vaccine
- Has limited or no access to Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, or Novavax
- Prefers the J&J/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine despite the safety concerns
- Is 18 years and older
Ingredients
Vector virus
This is responsible for sending instructions to cells on how to create a harmless protein from a virus that causes COVID-19. The protein that the body creates then triggers the immune system to respond. This response will help protect the body in case it gets infected with COVID-19 in the future.
- Recombinant, replication-incompetent Ad26 vector, encoding a stabilized variant of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike (S) protein
Sugars, salts, acid, and acid stabilizer
These work together to keep the vaccine stable during manufacturing, shipping, and storage until it’s ready for vaccination.
- Polysorbate-80
- 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin
- Trisodium citrate dihydrate
- Sodium chloride (basic table salt)
- Citric acid monohydrate (closely related to lemon juice)
- Ethanol (a type of alcohol)
Protect yourself by getting vaccinated against COVID-19
COVID vaccination is one way to protect yourself and your loved ones from the life-threatening infection caused by COVID-19. Although not mandatory, everyone is encouraged to get vaccinated and to get booster shots to extend protection. Make sure to go to authorized vaccine sites or vaccine locations in NYC to get vaccinated safely.
