COVID-19 Vaccines: 3 Vaccine Types & How Often To Get Them

• There are many benefits to receiving the COVID-19 vaccine for personal and public health, as these vaccines prevent serious outcomes from COVID-19 infection such as the risk of severe illness, death, and more.
• There are now three authorized vaccines available: an updated Novavax vaccine, the Pfizer vaccine, and the Moderna vaccine. 
• The Centers for Disease Control And Prevention (CDC) currently recommends anyone ages 6 months and older get vaccinated against COVID-19, with the exception of those who have experienced severe allergic reactions to any mRNA vaccine.

After the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak an official pandemic in 2020, the race to produce a safe and effective vaccine was on. While vaccines normally take a minimum of six years to be developed, studied, and manufactured, the Moderna and Pfizer coronavirus vaccines were readily produced within a year. Due to modern technological advances and past studies linked to gaining immunity over COVID-19, the vaccines were able to be produced at rapid speeds. 

Today, there are three updated vaccines that are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for COVID-19. This includes a Novavax vaccine, Moderna vaccine, and Pfizer vaccine. 

This article will explain everything you need to know about FDA-authorized COVID-19 vaccinations including vaccine types, current CDC recommendations, and more. 
 

There are currently three vaccines available from three companies: Moderna, Pfizer, and Novavax. Each of these vaccines has an annual updated version. (Note: The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is no longer available for use in the United States.) 

Pfizer-BioNTech Vaccine

During clinical trials, the Pfizer vaccine was proven 95% effective against COVID-19. It’s an intramuscular vaccine given in a patient’s upper arm and patients receive the vaccine in two doses. 

After the first vaccine dose, the patient should get their second vaccine 21 days later. After the initial two doses, patients may have received an initial (monovalent) booster dose two months after the last dose of their primary series of vaccinations.

Note: Patients must receive the same vaccine (i.e. either Pfizer or Moderna) for their initial booster dose. Learn more about vaccine booster doses at this resource. 

Who Shouldn’t Get the Pfizer Vaccine:

Anyone who has experienced a mild, severe, or immediate allergic reaction to other vaccines with mRNA technology (including the first dose of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine), polyethylene glycol (PEG), and/​or polysorbate, should not get the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.

Note: An immediate or severe reaction means experiencing hives, swelling, or wheezing within four hours of receiving an mRNA vaccine.

Common Side Effects:

During clinical trials, most people got mild to moderate side effects while a few had severe side effects. These side effects are prone to start within one to two days after getting vaccinated and should only last a few days at maximum. The side effects related to the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine include:

• In Arm:
  • Minor swelling
  • Pain
  • Irritation/​redness
• Throughout Body (common after the second dose):
  • Chills
  • Mild fever
  • Tiredness
  • Headache

Note: If severe side effects occur or moderate side effects persist for longer than a few days, be sure to contact your doctor.

Moderna MRNA Vaccine

During clinical trial testing, the Moderna vaccine was proven 94.1% effective against the coronavirus. The vaccine is an intramuscular shot given in the patient’s upper arm and patients receive the vaccine in two doses that are given 28 days apart.

Who Shouldn’t Get the Moderna Vaccine:

Anyone who has experienced a mild, severe, or immediate reaction to any mRNA vaccine (including the first dose of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine), polyethylene glycol (PEG), and/​or polysorbate, should not get the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. 

Note: An immediate or severe allergic reaction means experiencing hives, swelling, or wheezing within four hours of receiving an mRNA vaccine.

Common Side Effects:

During clinical trials, most people got mild to moderate side effects. In rare cases, severe side effects were recorded, including myocarditis (inflammation in the heart muscle). 

These side effects are prone to start within one to two days after getting vaccinated and should only last a few days at maximum. The side effects related to Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine include:

• In Arm:
  • Minor swelling
  • Pain
  • Irritation/​redness
• Throughout Body (common after the second dose):
  • Chills
  • Mild fever
  • Tiredness
  • Headache

Note: If severe side effects occur or moderate side effects persist for longer than a few days, be sure to contact your doctor.
 

Novavax Vaccine

The Novavax vaccine is the most recent vaccine approved by the FDA. People 12 and older are able to receive the Novavax vaccine. A Novavax booster can be given six months after the first dose. Americans 12 through 17 who received the Novavax primary series must get a Pfizer-BioNTech bivalent booster. 

Who Shouldn’t Get the Novavax Vaccine:

The Novavax vaccine is not recommended for anyone under the age of 12 years. Also, anyone who has experienced a mild, severe, or immediate reaction to the ingredients found in the COVID-19 vaccine should not get the Novavax vaccination.

Common Side Effects:

Side effects related to the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine include: 

• Fatigue
• Malaise
• Muscle pain
• Headache
• Joint pain
• Nausea and vomiting
• Fever
• Chills

Note: If severe side effects occur or moderate side effects persist for longer than a few days, be sure to contact your doctor or another healthcare provider.
 

As of August 2024, the FDA authorized the emergency use of the 2024–2025 formula of updated COVID-19 vaccines from Pfzier, Moderna, and Novavax. This formulation can help our bodies develop protection against currently circulating strains of the virus. 

The CDC currently recommends everyone 6 months and older to receive one dose of an updated COVID-19 vaccine annually. Children 6 months to 4 years old should receive one booster from the same manufacturer as their initial series. People 5 years of age and older who were not previously vaccinated should receive an initial multidose series of an updated vaccine, plus a booster dose six months later. If unvaccinated and opting for Novavax, two doses are required. 

Those who have already received their initial multidose series should receive an annual vaccine to provide protection against the most common variant of this infectious disease, which changes. Earlier doses, including the 2023–2024 vaccines, should not be used.

Even if you’ve had a prior infection, the annual shot can still be useful. This is true for older and younger people, it’s especially recommended for individuals over 65, as well as those who are at high risk for getting severely sick from COVID-19 symptoms.

While the CDC used to recommend, moderately or severely immunocompromised individuals and anyone over 65 years-old should get two doses administered, spaced six months apart, they no longer recommend that. Speak with a healthcare professional about what the right dose and number of vaccines is for you. Learn more about the COVID-19 vaccination schedule for those with a weakened immune system here.

Many questions have been raised surrounding both vaccines’ safety with those 55+ years old and those with comorbid conditions. However, clinical trials proved that COVID-19 vaccine side effects were actually less common and severe within these populations. One study notes that the vaccine is ​“better tolerated in older adults than younger adults” and that its efficacy is similar across all age groups. 

Note: To read personal accounts from those 55 and older on receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, visit this source. 

Getting vaccinated for COVID-19 has several benefits including preventing severe illness, hospitalization, and death. Regardless of current COVID-19 vaccine standing, the CDC recommends getting a booster shot developed to protect against current strains of the virus. 

Protecting Yourself from COVID-19

Clinical trials have determined that COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective at preventing a patient from contracting the coronavirus and strengthening the immune response against current strains, should a patient get the coronavirus disease after being vaccinated. The Pfizer vaccine was proven to be 95% effective against the coronavirus during clinical trials while the Moderna vaccine was proven to be 94.1% effective against the coronavirus during clinical trials. Past vaccine research also shows that if a patient does get infected, being vaccinated helps to protect the patient from severe disease and strengthens the immune cells’ response to the disease.

Protecting Others from COVID-19

When a person is infected with the coronavirus, they’re considered very contagious. It’s possible for an infected person to spread the disease to their loved ones through respiratory droplets when they breathe, sneeze, cough, etc. In order for each individual to protect themselves and the ones they love from being infected, the CDC emphasizes getting vaccinated. While patients who have already contracted and healed from the coronavirus do have natural immunity, experts are unsure how long this immunity will last. Due to this uncertainty, the CDC is recommending that at the appropriate time, those who can, should be vaccinated.
 

The CDC recommends an annual booster for anyone ages six months or older. COVID-19 vaccine booster doses help our bodies develop immunity against new strains. Use the ​“Find Out When You Can Get Your Booster” tool on this page of CDC website to see when you’re eligible for your COVID-19 vaccine booster shot. Currently, all vaccine manufacturers have booster shots available.