The ‘Best’ COVID-19 Vaccine: Does It Exist?

Each vaccination is different, yet they all provide excellent protection against the life-threatening Corona Virus. Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson are now administering vaccines in the United States.

In August 2021, Pfizer-COVID-19 BioNTech’s vaccine became the first to gain FDA approval for use in adults 16 and older. The FDA Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for the COVID-19 vaccine was granted in December 2020 after the manufacturer claimed that the vaccine was highly effective in preventing symptoms of the Corona Virus.

Pfizer’s vaccine was approved for emergency use in the United States a week before Moderna’s in December 2020. As with Pfizer, Moderna uses the same mRNA technology and has comparable efficacy in avoiding the onset of COVID symptoms. Additionally, it must be kept at or below-freezing temperatures. In mid-August, the FDA authorized a third dosage of the Moderna vaccination for immunocompromised patients, such as solid organ transplant patients and those with disorders that limit their capacity to fight infections and other illnesses equally.

In February, 70 days after Pfizer and Moderna received EUA, the FDA approved Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine. J&J is a viral vector vaccine, as opposed to mRNA vaccines. Because it just takes a single injection, it’s easier to distribute and administer, and it can be kept in a regular refrigerator.

Clinical studies have proven the Novavax vaccination to be quite effective as well. The adjuvant in the Novavax vaccination is a protein. It is easier to manufacture and keep in a refrigerator than other vaccinations, making it more widely available. Vaccines developed by Novovax have been tested in conjunction with the influenza shot and have shown promising results.

According to the CDC’s Trusted Source, no single COVID-19 vaccination is better than another. In general, it’s critical to obtain the earliest vaccination available. Compared to Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines, the J&J vaccine seems to be less effective at first appearance. However, one dosage of the J&J vaccination instead of two appears to be sufficient for protection.

In hindsight, people won’t be able to choose which vaccine is better over the other because it won’t matter. People worldwide will be immunized with whichever vaccine is provided until a universal vaccine is made available. And they will be based on what the doctors are recommending or what clinical data shows us or health authorities mandates. In short, the “best” COVID vaccination is any that is accessible to the masses.