While New Jersey residents are searching near and far for a sought-after COVID-19 vaccine, some are asking if they can choose between the dose of Moderna or Pfizer, the two types of vaccines currently available.
The short answer is no.
“Currently, there is no way for anyone to choose which vaccine they are going to get,” said Donna Leusner, director of communications for the state Department of Health. “The state does not recommend one vaccine to another.”
There are more than 200 sites offering the vaccine in NJ. Some are run by the state or province or municipality, some are run by hospitals, pharmacies or medical groups. Most vaccination sites offer one type or another. But the good news is that studies show that there is no tangible difference between the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines, both of which reported an overall efficacy of 94 to 95%.
However, some websites tell you which vaccine you are going to get, which gives you the option to bend if for some reason you do not want the specific vaccine. But with the question that supply and appointments barely exist, it may not be an option that many people want to take, and experts believe there is no reason to make a choice anyway.
Stephanie Silvera, an epidemiologist and professor at Montclair State, agreed that both vaccines are equally effective and that residents do not prefer one over the other.
“The effectiveness of the vaccine for both Pfizer and Moderna is currently very much the same,” Silvera said. ‘And at this point, the goal is to get as many people vaccinated as possible. There is not much difference between the two. ”
Both the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines require two shots: an initial dose, followed by a shot. The interval between doses of Moderna is 28 days; for the Pfizer vaccine, it is 21 days.
It is too early to know if people will have more of a choice, as other vaccines will be available in the coming weeks. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine can get emergency approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in late February. The advantage of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is that it requires only one dose and that it does not meet the cold storage requirements of the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines. However, it has a lower effectiveness, with 72% protection against moderate to severe COVID in the US and 85% protection against serious diseases.
The explosion of vaccines continues to drag on in New Jersey and nationwide, as demand far exceeds supply. But Johnson & Johnson hopes to deliver 100 million doses to the U.S. by April, CNBC said last month.
“Until we know the recommendations for using the J&J vaccine, we do not know how it will change things,” Leusner said. “We know that once it is available, we will have more vaccines.”
Silvera added that if the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is approved later this month, its older people or people in high-risk categories would be advised to look for the Moderna or Pfizer vaccinations, if possible.
“My recommendation is that it would be ideal for people who are in the higher risk categories, if it is possible to get Moderna and Pfizer, which are higher effective against serious diseases,” Silvera said. “And for people who are less likely or not to fall into the higher risk categories for hospitalization, death or serious illness, the Johnson & Johnson will probably suffice.”
But Silvera made one last point: any vaccine is better than no vaccine.
“If you’re lucky enough to make an appointment, you have to take it,” she said.
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