What is the difference between the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines?
Both vaccines use messenger RNA technology, meaning they are made up of similar RNA that then gets made into “spiked proteins” that tells the body the specific antibodies to make to “fight” against the virus. Both vaccines have high levels of efficacy meaning they are highly effective vaccines (when both doses are received) in preventing COVID-19 illness. Some differences in the vaccine include the way it is stored and the length of time between dose 1 and dose 2.
In the two-dose series for the vaccines, can I get one from one manufacturer and the second dose from a different manufacturer (say, one from Pfizer and one from Moderna)?
No, you must get both vaccine doses from same manufacturer to get full protection from the vaccines. Providers are required to report vaccine administration with 24 hours to the immunization registry (CAIR) which will help prevent this from occurring.
You can, however, "mix" vaccine brands when going for a booster dose at least 6 months after receiving your primary COVID-19 vaccines series.
When were the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines approved?
Pfizer vaccine
o The FDA approved the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for use in individuals age 16 years and older on December 11, 2020.
o The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) also recommended the use of the Pfizer vaccine in individuals age 16 years and older on December 12, 2020.
Moderna vaccine
o The FDA approved the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for use in individuals age 18 years and older on December 18, 2020.
o ACIP recommended the used of the Moderna vaccine in individuals age 18 years and older on December 19, 2020.
Was the Johnson & Johnson (Janssen Pharmaceuticals) COVID-19 vaccine developed using fetal cell lines?
In various stages of vaccine development and manufacturing, some of the COVID-19 vaccines used cells originally isolated from fetal tissue (often referred to as fetal cells). Historical fetal cell lines were derived in the 1960’s and 1970’s from two elective abortions that have been used to create vaccines for diseases. The J & J did require the use of fetal cell cultures in order to produce and manufacture the vaccine.
A note from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF), which was approved by Pope Francis, gives the green light during the pandemic to the use of vaccines produced with cell lines derived from two fetuses aborted in the 1960s and stated that receiving a COVID-19 vaccine that required fetal cell lines for production or manufacture is morally acceptable. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops goes further and has stated: “receiving a COVID-19 vaccine ought to be understood as an act of charity toward the other members of our community. In this way, being vaccinated safely against COVID-19 should be considered an act of love of our neighbor and part of our moral responsibility for the common good...Given the urgency of this crisis, the lack of available alternative vaccines, and the fact that the connection between an abortion that occurred decades ago and receiving a vaccine produced today is remote, inoculation with the new COVID-19 vaccines in these circumstances can be morally justified”.
How effective is the Johnson & Johnson vaccine?
What you can see from the clinical trial data is that all the vaccines, including Johnson and Johnson, are really effective at preventing severe COVID illness, preventing hospitalizations from severe COVID, and really, really effective at preventing death from COVID-19 disease.
