Many conversations are being had regarding which of the COVID-19 vaccines is most effective. In the beginning of December, when the vaccine became available to the general public, the CDC told us to “take the first one available” and I honestly still agree with that. However, there has been some debate on the effectiveness and safety of specific vaccines. For example, the J&J had a higher risk of blood clots in 40-60-year old females, who would have known that unless we started using the vaccine?

In the September 24, 2021, CDC publication Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) the consensus was that all three (3) vaccines provided some level of vaccine effectiveness (VE) however there were some differences.

For example, the Moderna vaccine had VE of 93%, Pfizer-BioNTech had VE of 88% and the single-dose Janssen vaccine had a lower VE at 71%. Although the J&J vaccine had a lower observed VE, the vaccine still reduced risk for COVID-19 associated hospitalization by 71% and required only one poke!

Bottom line, whichever vaccine you received, you can rest assured that you have more immunity than your neighbor who received none of the vaccines. Now bring on the boosters! The recommendation from the CDC is to get the booster when it is available, and you can mix and match boosters. For example, if you received the Pfizer vaccine last winter and can only find the Moderna booster, grab it! Sadly, we are still in the throws of the COVID-19 pandemic, yes, we have come a long way but have a long way to go. Stay well, stay informed and stay tuned!