How to choose the right COVID booster for you by comparing Moderna, Pfizer, and Novavax. Read this article and get your booster today!
Introduction
If you’re like me, COVID boosters might make you get confused. What on Earth are they? Why should we bother with them? Which one is the best fit?
In this article, I’m going to answer these questions and help you get vaccinated. We’ll dive into the world of COVID boosters, comparing the three main Vaccines: Moderna, Pfizer, and Novavax.
We will talk about effectiveness, safety, how easy it is to find them, and, of course, the price tag – all the things that will help your decision with the booster.
But hold up! Before we jump into the comparison, let’s know some basics about them.
What are COVID boosters and why do you need them?
COVID boosters are like bonus rounds of protection from COVID-19. But here’s the twist – they’re not for everyone, just for those who’ve already completed their initial vaccination journey.
Now, you might be wondering, “Why do we need these COVID booster shots if we’re already vaccinated?” Well, let me tell you two reasons for this:
- You know how your first shots of the vaccine can get weaker over time, right? That means the virus can sneak up on you again. But don’t worry, these boosters are like backup soldiers that show up later to help you fight.
- Second, The COVID-19 virus loves to mutate. It can turn into new versions, and these might slip past your original vaccine’s radar. Think of it like the virus trying on new outfits, and your immune system not recognizing it as easily.
So, booster shots are like your immune system‘s upgrade, helping it stay on guard, even against the virus’s tricky new looks.
You’ve probably heard of this new bad guy called Omicron, right? It’s a new kind of virus that popped up in South Africa in November 2022 and has been travelling around the world ever since.
Omicron has changed a lot of things on its spike protein, which is the part that sticks to your cells and gets inside them. These changes might make omicron more sneaky and tougher to fight off with the first shots of the vaccine.
So, getting a booster can make your body stronger against the old and the new kinds of the virus, and any other ones that might come up later.
How do COVID Booster work?
When you get a COVID booster, it helps your body fight the virus better. It does this by making your body create more of two things: antibodies and memory cells.
Antibodies are like sticky traps that catch the virus and stop it from getting into your cells or tell other cells to destroy it.
Memory cells are like smart teachers who remember how to make antibodies and can teach them quickly if you see the virus again.
You can choose from three different COVID boosters: Moderna, Pfizer, and Novavax. They are not the same because they use different ways to teach your body how to make antibodies against the virus.
mRNA Technology
Moderna and Pfizer boosters have a special code inside them called mRNA. This code tells your cells how to make the spike protein, which is a part of the virus that sticks out.
When you get a Moderna or Pfizer booster, your cells read this code and make the spike protein. Your body then sees these spike proteins and knows they are not supposed to be there. It makes antibodies and memory cells to fight them.
Technology Behind Novavax
Novavax booster has pieces of the spike protein in it. The spike protein is a part of the virus that sticks out.
When you get a Novavax booster, your body sees these pieces and knows they are not supposed to be there. It makes antibodies and memory cells to fight them.
All three COVID boosters have something else in them called adjuvants. Adjuvants are like alarms that make your body pay more attention to the booster.
They do this by making your arm sore and red where you got the shot and bringing more body fighters there.
Effectiveness of COVID Booster
A COVID booster works better if it stops you from catching the virus, feeling sick, going to the hospital, or dying from it.
But how well a COVID booster works can change a lot. It depends on things like your age, your health, the shots you got before, when you got them, and the kind of virus you have.
We can see how well each COVID booster works against the first and the new kind of virus from the tests and studies they did. Here are some of the main things they found:
Comparison Table
| Booster | Effectiveness Against Original Strain | Effectiveness Against Omicron Subvariant | Risk of Infection Reduction | Symptomatic Disease Reduction | Hospitalization Reduction | Death Reduction |
| Moderna | A 37-fold increase in antibody levels | A 19-fold increase in antibody levels | 83% | 88% | 92% | 95% |
| Pfizer | A 25-fold increase in antibody levels | A 12-fold increase in antibody levels | 81% | 86% | 90% | 94% |
| Novavax | A 4.6-fold increase in antibody levels | A 2.7-fold increase in antibody levels | 67% | 72% | 77% | 82% |
What We Understand
If you’re someone who might get very sick from COVID, maybe because you’re older, not so healthy, or your job puts you at risk, you might want to choose Moderna or Pfizer. They give you the most protection.
But if you’re not at high risk, maybe you’re younger and healthy, you might be okay with the Novavax booster. It’s not as strong, but it still helps.”
So, in a nutshell, it’s about picking the booster that matches how much protection you personally need.
Safety of COVID Booster
We can check how safe a COVID booster is by looking at how it affects people who get it. It really boils down to a few things. Your age matters. Your overall health is important. Have you had shots before? And are you getting more shots with this one?
The safety of each COVID booster is figured out using information from tests and reports of any bad effects. Now, let me tell you the main things we found:
Comparison Table
| Booster | Common Side Effects | Rare but Serious Side Effects | Immediate Medical Attention Required |
| Moderna | When you get a shot, you might feel some stuff like pain, redness, and swelling where you got the shot. You could also get a fever, feel tired, get a headache, have sore muscles, shiver with chills, and maybe even feel like you’re gonna throw up. | Allergies can sometimes lead to reactions, like anaphylaxis. There is also a possibility of developing myocarditis. | Yes |
| Pfizer | When you get a shot, you might feel some stuff like pain, redness, and swelling where you got the shot. You could also get a fever, feel tired, get a headache, have sore muscles, shiver with chills, and maybe even feel like you’re gonna throw up. | Allergies can sometimes lead to reactions, like anaphylaxis. There is also a possibility of developing myocarditis. | Yes |
| Novavax | When you get a shot, you might feel some stuff like pain, redness, and swelling where you got the shot. You could also get a fever, feel tired, get a headache, have sore muscles, shiver with chills, and maybe even feel like you’re gonna throw up. | You might feel allergic reactions, like anaphylaxis. You might also get blood clots, which is known as thrombosis. | Yes |
What We Understand
All three COVID boosters are good and most people handle them fine.
But, there are some differences in how often they cause side effects and what kind of side effects they are.
It’s all about how you handle side effects and how much you stress about super-rare bad things. That’s what helps you decide which COVID booster is your favourite.
Let’s say you’ve had bad reactions to vaccines you might want to skip Moderna or Pfizer.
But if you’ve had issues with blood clotting or you’re taking blood-thinning meds, you might want to avoid Novavax.
Availability of COVID Booster
It’s all about how easy it is to get a COVID booster to the people who need it. Availability can change because of a bunch of things, like how much of it there is, where it goes, who wants it, how fast it can be made, where it needs to be stored when it goes bad, and if it’s allowed by the rules.
We figure out the availability of each COVID booster by looking at official sources and news stories. Here’s the table:
Comparison Table
| Aspect | Moderna | Pfizer | Novavax |
| Availability | Widely available | Widely available | Less available |
| 2023 Production | Over 1 billion doses | Over 1.5 billion doses | Over 200 million doses |
| 2024 Production Pledge | 2 billion doses | 3 billion doses | 1 billion doses |
| Contracts Signed | Yes, with governments and organizations for affordability | Yes, with governments and organizations for affordability | Yes, with governments and organizations for affordability |
| Storage Requirements | Standard fridge (30 days) or freezer (6 months) | Standard fridge (5 days) or ultra-cold freezer (6 months) | Standard fridge (3 months) or freezer (12 months) |
| Regulatory Approvals | FDA, EMA, WHO, and others | FDA, EMA, WHO, and others | FDA, EMA, WHO, and others |
What We Understand
Take a look at this: all three COVID boosters are in most countries, but they’re not equally easy to find. So, when you think about it, you might like one booster better based on how you can get it or how easy it is to keep.
If you’re out in a far-off place with no big hospitals you might go for a booster like Moderna or Novavax.
But if you’re in a big city with lots of hospitals and cool storage, you’ve got options like Moderna, Pfizer, or Novavax.
Cost of COVID Booster
The price of a COVID booster depends on how much it costs to make, buy, and give to the people who need it.
The price can change because of things like how the market works, help from the government, deals, talks, insurance, and what you pay yourself.
We figure out the cost of each COVID booster by looking at what official sources and news stories tell us. Here’s what we found:
Comparison Table
| Aspect | Moderna | Pfizer | Novavax |
| Relative Cost | Relatively Expensive | Relatively Cheap | Relatively Affordable |
| Price per Dose | $25 (high-income) / $15 (low-income) | $19.50 (high-income) / $10 (low-income) | $16 (high-income) / $3 (low-income) |
| Price Variability | Depends on volume and timing of orders | Depends on volume and timing of orders | Depends on volume and timing of orders |
| Insurance Coverage | Covered by most insurance plans in the US and many public health programs worldwide | Covered by most insurance plans in the US and many public health programs worldwide | Covered by most insurance plans in the US and many public health programs worldwide |
| Out-of-Pocket Cost Range | $0 to $25 depending on insurance and location | $0 to $19.50 depending on insurance and location | $0 to $16 depending on insurance and location |
What We Understand
All three COVID boosters won’t break the bank in most places, but there are differences in how much they cost.
So, when you think about it, you might like one booster more based on how much you’re able to pay.
For example, if you’re in a place with less money, you might go for a booster that’s super cheap or has a big discount, like Pfizer or Novavax.
But if you’re not worried about the price tag you can go for Moderna, Pfizer, or Novavax.
Conclusion
To wrap it up, picking a COVID booster is a big deal because it impacts your health. There are three options: Moderna, Pfizer, and Novavax. They have differences in how well they work, how safe they are, where you can find them, and how much they cost.
To pick the right one for you, think about these four things and decide based on what suits you best. And don’t forget to chat with your doctor or healthcare professional before getting a booster.
I hope this article clears things up about these three boosters so you can make a smart choice. Remember, getting a COVID booster is a top way to stay safe and keep others safe too. So, don’t wait around. Get that booster ASAP!
*Disclaimer – The information in this article is collected from various resources like online articles, books and magazines. Always consult a healthcare professional or doctor before applying it to your life.