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Answering Your Questions About COVID-19 Vaccines

It can be difficult to keep up with all of the new information regarding COVID-19, including what vaccines are available, where you can get the vaccine, and how they work against the new variants. Below are answers sourced from the FDA, the CDC, and industry outlets like FiercePharma.

What COVID-19 vaccines are available?

Three COVID-19 vaccines have been authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for emergency use. Those vaccines are:

  • Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine
  • Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine
  • Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine (Johnson & Johnson)

Is the Johnson & Johnson vaccine safe?

Use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine was temporarily paused in April, but it is now recommended by both the FDA and CDC again. Both organizations recommended distribution be halted on April 13th when they noticed 15 cases of severe blood clots out of a sample size of nearly 8 million. So far, the clots seem to primarily effect women, with an incidence of about 1 per million doses administered for women age 50 and older and no reported cases in men. After a risk-benefit analysis, the FDA and CDC lifted the pause on April 23rd and have agreed that officials can resume distributing the Johnson & Johnson vaccine with a new warning about the rare but potentially severe blood clots.

How do I get a COVID-19 vaccine?

The CDC recommends use of their website to locate state and local health departments who are responsible for distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine. You can also find additional information online at http://www.NJ.gov (or your state’s website) or through your local food stores and retail pharmacies.

Do the COVID-19 vaccines work against the new variants?

Each FDA-authorized COVID-19 vaccine is slightly different. The available information (sources stated below) suggests that the vaccines are effective in protecting the American public from the currently circulating strains of COVID-19. Vaccine manufacturers are actively working on changes that may be needed to further protect from future variants.

Sources:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/learn-more-about-covid-19-vaccines-fda
https://www.fiercepharma.com/pharma/covid-19-tracker-johnson-johnson-aims-to-test-shot-kids-president-trump-talks-firing-fauci
https://www.fiercepharma.com/pharma/johnson-johnson-s-covid-19-vaccine-wins-renewed-backing-from-u-s-experts-after-probe-into