Different COVID-19 Vaccines
| Topic | Pfizer* | Moderna | Janssen/J&J |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emergency use in the U.S. | Yes, with full FDA approval for ages 16+ | Yes with full FDA approval for ages 18+ | Yes |
| Age groups | 6 months+ | 6 months to 5 years, 18+ | 18+ |
| Primary vaccination series | 3 doses, ages 6 months to 4 years | 2 doses, 4-8 weeks apart** | 1 dose |
| Booster doses | 5 months after second shot for anyone over age 5 | 5 months after second shot for anyone over age 12 | 2 months after initial dose; second mRNA booster for ages 50 and up at least 4 months after the first booster. |
| Vaccine type | mRNA | mRNA | Viral vector |
| How it works | This mRNA vaccine helps teach our immune system to recognize COVID-19. | This mRNA vaccine helps teach our immune system to recognize COVID-19. | This viral vector vaccine is made of an inactivated, harmless virus that helps instruct our immune system to recognize COVID-19. |
| Common side effects | Injection site pain, fatigue, headache, muscle pain, joint pain and fever | Injection site pain, fatigue, headache, muscle pain, joint pain and fever | Injection site pain, fatigue, headache, muscle pain, joint pain, nausea and fever |
| Potential allergens | Doesn't contain eggs, preservatives or latex (see ingredient list) | Doesn't contain eggs, preservatives or latex (see ingredient list) | Doesn't contain eggs, preservatives or latex (see ingredient list) |
| Time to maximum protection from primary series | Two weeks after 2nd dose | Two weeks after 2nd dose | Two weeks |
If viewing this chart on your phone, scroll to the left to see all vaccines.
*See schedule for COVID-19 vaccination for people who are moderately or severely immunocompromised.
**According to the CDC, an 8-week interval may be optimal for some people ages 12 years and older, especially for those ages 12 to 39 years. A shorter interval (3 weeks for Pfizer-BioNTech; 4 weeks for Moderna) between the first and second doses remains the recommended interval for: people who are moderately or severely immunocompromised; adults ages 65 years and older.
Sources: Pfizer, Moderna, Janssen/J&J, FDA and CDC