Which vaccine is best? The one you can get
She sat down nervously, took a deep breath and rolled up her sleeve. “Is this the best vaccine, doc?” she asked. I smiled, “once it’s in your arm, it sure is.” Wanting nothing more than a COVID-free world, I was volunteering my time giving vaccines, confident that with each shot we are getting closer to a COVID-free world.
Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson and Johnson are the three vaccines currently authorized in the United States. All three are 100% effective in preventing hospitalization and preventing death. The variations in percent effectiveness between these vaccines is often a hot topic but futile to focus on, as these numbers change with the emerging variants. What matters is staying out of the hospital and avoiding severe illness.
Misinformation has been circling about the Johnson and Johnson (J&J) vaccine from leaders, politicians and community members. Some worry that it’s not as good as the first two vaccines, manufactured by Pfizer and Moderna, also known as mRNA vaccines. Comparing mRNA vaccines to adenovector vaccines is like comparing apples to oranges. It can also have potentially deadly consequences by forgoing a chance to get vaccinated.
The J&J vaccine is only a one dose vaccine that provides 72% effectiveness against the COVID-19 virus in the United States, 66% worldwide. It was tested against all the current variants as well. It can be stored in a regular refrigerator which makes it easier to transport. This means this vaccine can be administered in places throughout the community which increases access.
The purpose of getting vaccinated is to avoid getting severe illness, being hospitalized and dying. All three vaccines are 100% effective in preventing the worst outcomes of COVID. Any of these three vaccines will bring us closer to the goal of a COVID-free world. But none of them work if they’re never given.
So which vaccine is best? The one that you get.
As I was putting her bandage on her arm, the masked patient smiled at me with her eyes. She breathed a sigh of relief. “That was it?” she was surprised at how quick and easy the actual administration of the shot was. Proudly, she took a selfie showing off her bandaid to document her historic moment. She admittedly was so worried about the shot, but was incredibly happy that she did it. With each selfie of shots in arms, we celebrate a vaccine victory. When it’s your turn, consider getting vaccinated. With every vaccine given, we are one step closer to ending this pandemic, one shot at a time.