Is Pfizer and Pfizer BioNTech the same vaccine?

BioNTech is the German biotechnology company that partnered with Pfizer in bringing this COVID-19 vaccine to market. "Pfizer Comirnaty" and "Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine" are biologically and chemically the same thing.

Is the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine approved by the FDA?

Continued use of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, now fully approved by the FDA in persons aged ≥16 years, is recommended based on increased certainty that its benefits (prevention of asymptomatic infection, COVID-19, and associated hospitalization and death) outweigh vaccine-associated risks.

What are the name of all the COVID-19 vaccines?

Three COVID-19 vaccines are used in the United States to prevent COVID-19. Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna are COVID-19 mRNA vaccines and are preferred. You may get Johnson & Johnsons Janssen (J&J/Janssen) COVID-19 vaccine in some situations.

Can I choose which COVID-19 vaccine I get?

Yes, depending on your age, you can choose which COVID-19 vaccine to get. For adults ages 18 years and older, the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines (Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna) are preferred over Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen (J&J/Janssen) COVID-19 vaccine. You may get J&J/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine in some situations.

Currently, Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is the only COVID-19 vaccine available to children ages 5 through 17 years old.

Learn more about your COVID-19 vaccination, including how to find a vaccination location, what to expect at your appointment, and more.

Can you mix and match the vaccines for your mRNA (Pfizer or Moderna) primary vaccination series?

No, vaccines used for the primary vaccination series should be same. However, if the mRNA vaccine product given for the first two doses is not available or is unknown, either Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine (mRNA COVID-19 vaccines) may be administered.

TRUST INDEX: Comirnaty vaccine, Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine are the same shot with different names

Can you mix and match Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccine?

Through the FDA's authorization and the CDC's recommendation, heterologous boosting—aka “mixing and matching”—is allowed with a single dose of any of the authorized COVID-19 vaccine boosters. For example, those who got Johnson & Johnson's one-dose series can receive a booster shot from Moderna or Pfizer

Can you mix and match COVID-19 booster shots?

The FDA has authorized the use of mix-and-match booster doses for currently available COVID-19 vaccines based on the results of a NIAID-supported study.

Is there a difference between the Moderna COVID-19 booster and Moderna third shot?

In the case of Moderna, the booster dose is only half of the original dose. Unlike boosters, third/additional doses of COVID-19 vaccines are for people who received the complete starter series of vaccines but then their immune systems didn't have a good enough response.

How do I know if I’ve been fully vaccinated if I was vaccinated in another country?

If you have received all recommended doses of a COVID-19 vaccine that has been authorized or approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or is listed for emergency use by the World Health Organization (WHO), then you are considered to be fully vaccinated.

Is it safe to take the Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech, or J&J COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy?

No safety concerns were found in animal studies: Studies in animals receiving a Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech, or Johnson & Johnson (J&J)/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine before or during pregnancy found no safety concerns in pregnant animals or their babies.

Can you contract COVID-19 through sexual intercourse?

Although there is currently no evidence that the COVID-19 virus transmits through semen or vaginal fluids, it has been detected in the semen of people recovering from COVID-19. We would thus recommend avoiding any close contact, especially very intimate contact like unprotected sex, with someone with active COVID-19 to minimize the risk of transmission

Is the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine safe?

Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine Ingredients. All COVID-19 vaccine ingredients are safe. Nearly all of the ingredients in COVID-19 vaccines are ingredients found in many foods – fats, sugars, and salts. The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine (COMIRNATY) also contains a harmless piece of messenger RNA (mRNA).

What is the latest medication for COVID-19?

Paxlovid is the latest COVID-19 treatment that's been all over the news. The drug was granted an emergency use authorization (EUA) by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in December for anyone ages 12 and older who weighs at least 88 pounds, and is at high risk for severe disease.

Are the FDA-approved vaccines effective at preventing COVID-19?

Yes. All FDA-approved and FDA-authorized COVID-19 vaccines prevent COVID-19 and serious health outcomes that COVID-19 can cause, including hospitalization and death.

Is the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine FDA approved in the US?

Yes. In clinical trials, approximately 15,400 individuals 18 years of age and older have received at least 1 dose of the vaccine. Data from these clinical trials supported the Emergency Use Authorization of Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine and the approval of SPIKEVAX (COVID-19 Vaccine, mRNA).

Are there any safety concerns concerning mRNA technology of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine?

FDA does not have specific safety concerns with a vaccine that utilizes this technology.

How do I transfer my proof of vaccination from another country to get a proof of vaccination card in the United States?

CDC does not keep vaccination records or determine how vaccination records are used. To update your records with vaccines you received while outside of the United States, you may:

• Contact the immunization information system (IIS) in your state. You can find state IIS information on the CDC website.
• Contact your healthcare provider or your local or state immunization program through your state’s health department.

The CDC-labeled white COVID-19 Vaccination Record Cards are only issued to people vaccinated in the United States. CDC recommends you keep your documentation of being vaccinated in the other country as proof of vaccination. CDC also recommends checking with your primary care provider or state health department for options to document your vaccination status domestically.

What if I don't get the second COVID-19 vaccine shot?

The bottom line is that if you didn't get your second shot on time, you'll want to get it as soon as possible. If you didn't get your second shot because you developed COVID-19 at some point during the vaccination process, it's still recommended that you get your second dose.

How long does it take for immunity to wane after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine?

A study published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that immunity against severe COVID-19 begins to wane four months after receiving a so-called "booster" third dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines.

Do COVID-19 boosters use the same ingredients as existing vaccines?

Yes. COVID-19 boosters are the same ingredients (formulation) as the current COVID-19 vaccines. However, in the case of a Moderna COVID-19 vaccine booster, the dose is half of the amount of the vaccine people get for their primary series.

Is there an authorized booster for the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine?

The FDA-authorized Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine and the FDA-approved Comirnaty can be used to provide the authorized booster dose(s). Similarly, the FDA-authorized Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine and the FDA-approved Spikevax are authorized to provide the authorized booster dose(s).

Do COVID-19 booster shots cause worse side effects?

If you experienced side effects when you were vaccinated initially, you may wonder if you'll have any noticeable symptoms in response to your booster shot. While you may have some side effects, they should be no worse than what you experienced originally and may well be milder.

Who should get a COVID-19 booster?

Everyone ages 5 years and older should get 1 booster after completing their COVID-19 vaccine primary series.

Can you get another vaccine if you get the Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine?

If you got J&J as your initial vaccine and are 18 or older, you are eligible for a booster shot two months later, regardless of which one you choose (you're eligible six months later if you had Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech as your primary series).

What are the common side effects of the Moderna COVID-19 booster vaccine?

The most commonly reported side effects by individuals who received a booster dose of the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine after completion of a two-dose primary series were pain, redness and swelling at the injection site, as well as fatigue, headache, muscle or joint pain and chills.