I wonder how much of the difference is due to Moderna being a larger dose, how much is due to Moderna recommending a longer time between the two doses, and how much is something else.
My brother is gloating.
Seven months ago I got my first Pfizer, as did my gf. We were totally Team Pfizer. My brother was scrambling, trying to find a vaccine, and ended up with Moderna. We made fun of him.
My preference was moderna when the vaccinations started. Moderna kicked in faster and had a few percentage points advantage in hospitalization and death. Glad I found a pharmacy with moderna.
Is there any information on the actual difference between the formulations of the vaccines–ideally information that’s been simplified somewhat for the layman?
I literally didn’t know which vaccine i would get until i arrived at the venue, which had a few extra shots and administered all three. I am happy to have been vaccinated when i was.
SpikeVax here.
I heard on a news station-that has made mistakes in the past-that Moderna is testing a flu and COVID booster, also that Moderna testing shows that one can get the flue shot and the booster at the same appointment, no need to wait two weeks between.
If this is true, its good news.
It doesn’t even need to be simplified – the ingredient lists for the mRNA vaccines are, indeed, simple.
Three Texas tourists in NYC assaulted a restaurant hostess simply for doing her job and asking them for proof of vaccination, as local law requires:
Me too. It was just dumb luck for me though. I just went to a nearby pharmacy and got whatever it was they were using.
Same here. We didn’t have a choice. More accurately, in April/May (and earlier for Nurse Wife) just finding a place that had vaccines was hard enough. We took what we could get. (J&J for the wife, Moderna for me.)
That is indeed a good article. It however misses two things I was wondering about: is the mRNA in both of them the same, and are the amounts the same?
I’m really curious why Moderna would be doing better.
(I got Moderna, BTW. That’s what was available at the mass vaccination clinic. The same hospital had a different clinic in a nearby town that had Pfizer, though they did eventually offer it here, too, once it was approved for kids over 12.
That said, due to an illness, I got mine at 8 weeks instead of 4 weeks out. I’m not sure if that makes things better, worse, or a wash.)
Moderna has roughly 3 times the amount of the active ingredient compared to Pfizer.
A wash.
You spent eight weeks at risk (or four weeks…not quite sure what you are saying) before you got the vaccine. But you did not contract covid and got the vaccine.
Sorry for being unclear. I’m saying that I waited an extra four weeks before getting my second dose. I’ve heard that there’s some data that seems to suggest a longer wait is better, but I don’t know if that’s true or if it applies to Moderna.
I got my first dose after my dad (who lives with me) was fully vaccinated, and he got his the week he was eligible, and got his second dose four weeks later.
Likely better. Many boosters work better if you wait longer between doses. Maybe the same.
I’d guess that since the technologies are similar, the dosage and time between jabs are major factors.
Aside to your aside: I have been seeing this phrasing more and more lately. Maybe related to the changes and advancements in gender identity and related issues in the last 15-20 years.
One also hears “We’re pregnant” (from either member of a couple) a lot more than one used to.
If using 3 times as much active ingredient is all that’s needed to make the vaccine more effective why didn’t Pfizer do it? Heck, why didn’t they use 15 or 20 times as much active ingredient?
It’s an emerging science. Too strong a dose may lead to complications, so there’s probably a limit to the dosage.
For the blue state vs red state debate: