AstraZeneca vs. Pfizer vs. Modern COVID-19 Vaccine

The UK became the first country to approve AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use on December 30, just weeks after the Pfizer and Moderna candidate vaccines received the green light from the Food and Drug Administration. from United States. The approval is another promising sign in the global rollout of immunization, especially as this option, developed by the University of Oxford and biopharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, could be key to reaching people in rural and underfunded areas.

Unlike its competitors, the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine can be stored at higher temperatures, costs less per dose, and uses different technology to immunize people. Although the vaccine has not yet been approved for use in the US, it could arrive in the United States in February at the earliest. The New York Times reports. Here’s what we know about the vaccine so far and how it compares to Pfizer and Moderna.

How does the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine work?

The AstraZeneca vaccine uses adenovirus vector technology. Translation: It is a harmless, modified version of a common cold virus that is generally only transmitted between chimpanzees. This altered virus cannot make you sick, but it carries a gene for the spike protein of the new coronavirus, the portion of the virus that triggers an immune response. This allows the immune system to make antibodies that work against COVID-19, teaching your body how to respond if it becomes infected.

In other words, the AstraZeneca vaccine mimics a COVID-19 infection without its life-threatening side effects, according to a company statement. The reason the researchers chose a chimpanzee adenovirus is simple: the modified virus must be new for people who get vaccinated; otherwise, the body will not create those all-important antibodies. Anyone could have antibodies to the spread of the cold among humans, but far fewer people have been exposed to the spread of the cold among chimpanzees.

Meanwhile, the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines are based on mRNA technology, which essentially introduces a genetic code that tricks the body into producing COVID-19 antibodies, without the need for viruses. All three vaccines require two injections approximately one month apart. Although no adenovirus vectored vaccine has been approved for human use before, companies like Johnson & Johnson, CanSino, and NantKwest are working on their own versions.

How does the AstraZeneca vaccine compare to the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines?

Storage and distribution

The AstraZeneca vaccine is the easiest to transport yet; It can be stored for up to six months at 36-46 ° F, the normal refrigerator temperature. Meanwhile, Moderna and Pfizer options should be stored at freezing temperatures until ready to use, at -4 ° F and -94 ° F, respectively. (The mRNA technology is relatively fragile compared to adenovirus vectored technology, which means it must be kept at much lower temperatures to remain efficient and stable.)

AstraZeneca’s higher storage temperature could facilitate distribution. “A clinic, a nursing home or even [regional] Health departments may not have freezers that can keep things down to -94 ° F, ”says Kawsar Talaat, MD, infectious disease physician, vaccine researcher and assistant professor in the department of International Health at Johns Hopkins University. . Being able to use a typical refrigerator “allows time for distribution, allows the vaccine to reach more rural areas, [and allows vaccines] stay in a clinic for a longer period of time. “

cost

The new vaccine also outperforms its competitors in price: AstraZeneca’s vaccine costs providers about $ 4 per dose, while Pfizer’s is $ 20 and Moderna’s is $ 33, Al Jazeera reports. These prices are very likely to fluctuate as time passes and vaccines evolve.

Effectiveness

The two mRNA vaccines have a slight advantage in efficacy; both Pfizer and Moderna report being approximately 95% effective against COVID-19 after the second injection in clinical trials, while AstraZeneca has reported an average efficacy of 70% and up to 90% if the dose is adjusted. (For comparison, the annual flu vaccine is typically 40-60% effective, according to the CDC.)

Side effects

The side effects of all three vaccines are similar, including possible injection site pain and flu-like symptoms, including fever, fatigue, headaches, and muscle pain, which are to be expected while your immune system He’s prepared.

Which COVID-19 vaccine is the best?

There is no “best” vaccine option, as there is not enough research to confirm this yet. Vaccines are not a silver bullet, especially as the pandemic progresses – they must be combined with masks, hand washing and social distancing to work as effectively as possible, according to the CDC. Regardless of which COVID-19 vaccine is available to you first, you can be confident in its ability to protect you, provided you continue to be cautious until positive cases, hospitalizations, and deaths are significantly reduced across the country.

Meanwhile, it is likely that “all manufacturers are working to make their vaccines more stable at temperatures easier to handle,” explains Dr. Talaat. As your formulas change, so will your pros and cons.

For now, we can be thankful that the AstraZeneca vaccine is approaching global approval. “The next generation of vaccines, such as AstraZeneca’s, which are kept at refrigerator temperature, is an important advance,” says Dr. Talaat. “When you talk about distribution to the whole world, it is much easier to do because we already keep the vaccines cold. It’s much harder to keep things frozen. “

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