The Science Behind The Different Covid-19 Vaccines

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 All of our lives have been impacted by COVID-19. Whether it was not being able to socialize with our friends and family, or having to wear masks everywhere we go, this virus has had a negative influence on practically all of us! Fortunately, due to the time spent by thousands of scientists worldwide, many companies have released vaccines to cure this disease. Nonetheless, not all of the cures are perfect and most of them have some faults too. We should learn about the pros and cons of these different vaccinations for two reasons: One, to get a better understanding of the science behind it and two, so we can brag with all this knowledge and teach our parents things they don’t even know! 

Countries in the Americas notified of first COVID-19 vaccine allocations through COVAX - PAHO/WHO | Pan American Health Organization

Pfizer

Manufacturer
Pfizer Inc.; BioNTech
Number Of Shots And How It Is Given
2 Shots are given 21 days apart. Given in the muscle of the upper arm.
Who it is For
Anyone 16 years or older
Possible Side Effects
  • Severe allergic reaction
  • Tiredness 
  • Headache 
  • Muscle pain
  • Chills
  • Joint pain
  • Fever 
  • Injection site swelling 
  • Injection site redness
  • Nausea
  • Swollen lymph nodes 
  • Diarrhea 
  • Vomiting
  • Heart inflammation (under investigation)
Safety Data
  • In statistics, side effects of the vaccination occurred within 7 days after receiving the shot but were mostly mild
  • Side effects were mostly evident after the second dosage of the vaccine
  • Israel has had a couple new cases of heart inflammation found in Pfizer vaccinated patients
  • Most side effects were moderate but some people had more severe side effects which had an impact on them from doing daily activities
How Well It Works

The Pfizer vaccine was said to be 95% effective in reducing the fatalities that your body faces even if you come in contact with the disease. It is known to be the best vaccine out of all the other ones worldwide. However, there are a couple new major side effects which are being investigated through the course of the last weeks.

Moderna

Manufacturer
ModernaTX Inc.
Number Of Shots And How It Is Given
The shot is given in the muscle of the upper arm, with two shots, at least 28 days apart.
Who it is For
Anyone 18 years or older
Possible Side Effects
  • Pain
  • Redness
  • Swelling
  • Headache
  • Muscle Pain
  • Chills
  • Fever
  • Nausea
  • Allergic reaction
  • Tiredness
Safety Data
  • In clinical trials, most symptoms happened to occur within 7 days after getting the first shot of the vaccine
  • Fever, chills and tiredness and headache were very common to mildly occur right after taking second shot
  • Moderna has had only a few circumstances where people faced severe side effects after taking the vaccine
  • Most symptoms were moderate and mild, however the roll out of the vaccine has been slower compared to the Pfizer vaccine. 
How Well It Works

The Moderna vaccine was 94.1% effective based on the clinical trials. It worked with high effectiveness with people of diverse sex, age, race, ethnicity and among people with underlying medical conditions. Although a couple cases of people were admitted to the hospital after the vaccine input, the pros outweigh the cons of contracting the disease. 

AstraZeneca

Manufacturer
Serum Institute of India
Number Of Shots And How It Is Given
This vaccination is given through two doses of injections: the second dose 4-12 weeks following the first. It is given in the muscle of the upper arm, similar to the other vaccinations.
Who it is For
Anyone 22 years and older
Possible Side Effects
  • Pain in the site of injection
  • Body chills
  • Tiredness
  • Fever
  • Blood clots (under investigation)
  • Muscle aches
  • Heartaches
  • Joint pain
How Well It Works

This vaccine has a 74.6 % effective rate. However this is not including the protection of the multiple variants that have recently been identified worldwide. Many people have been identified with blood clots that have also caused a few deaths for younger adults and children. They are investigating the cause of the blood clots but the pros of taking this vaccine definitely outweigh the risk they might face if they contract the disease.

Johnson & Johnson

Manufacturer
Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson
Number Of Shots And How It Is Given
There is only one shot given with this vaccine which is also in the muscle of the upper arm.
Who it is For
Anyone 18 years or older
Possible Side Effects
  • Headache
  • Fatigue
  • Fever
  • Muscle aches
  • Nausea
  • Pain/irritation
  • Redness/swelling
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Rapid heartbeat
  • Dizziness
  • Rashes
  • Swelling of face and throat
Safety Data
  • Side effects were common after 7 days within taking the vaccination but were mostly mild to moderate
  • Side effects were mostly common in people 18-59 years old of age compared to people 60 years and older
  • If rashes occur on the face after a couple days into taking the vaccine, it is normal unless it gets super severe and then you will have to take it to the hospital where you can get urgent care
  • Anaphylaxis is also something that occured to a few people who had taken the vaccine which was lead by dizziness, swelling, rash, rapid heartbeat and difficulty breathing
How Well It Works

The Johnson & Johnson vaccination was 66.3% effective when going through clinical trials. It had high efficiency in preventing hospitalization and deaths. No one who got Covid-19 after 4 weeks of getting vaccinated with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine had to be hospitalized. It is said to provide good protection from asymptomatic infection. 

Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) | USDA

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-vaccine/art-20484859

https://www.fda.gov/media/144414/download#page=2

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/different-vaccines/Pfizer-BioNTech.html

https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/info-by-product/pfizer/index.html

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/johnson-johnson-covid-19-vaccine-what-are-the-side-effects#Controversy-regarding-blood-clots

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/different-vaccines/Moderna.html

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/different-vaccines/janssen.html

https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-health-products/covid19-industry/drugs-vaccines-treatments/vaccines/astrazeneca.html