Can I Mix And Match The First Two Shots
No, the health officials’ allowance for mixing COVID-19 vaccines applies only to boosters. As of now, the FDA has only authorized a mixed-series booster, meaning the first coronavirus vaccine series must be two doses of Moderna or Pfizer or one dose of Johnson & Johnson.
More data on mixing for boosters will inform decisions on primary coronavirus vaccine series being used together, which could make it easier to reach underserved communities and possibly reduce health care and vaccine inequity.
The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.
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What Do We Know Now
The Public Health Agency of Canada says that as of Feb. 25, 2022, a total of 40,011 adverse events following immunization have been reported, out of nearly 80.8 million doses administered, for a rate of 0.05 per cent. Most of the adverse effects are classified as non-serious.
At the time the Pfizer report was made, many of those who got the vaccine initially were generally older and potentially vulnerable to COVID-19 infection.
Since then, vaccines have been administered to more, and younger, age groups, providing further evidence to back certain adverse events.
As Fulford says, what needs to be monitored with any medication or vaccine is whether certain signals present at a higher rate than what you would normally see.
This proved to be the case with blood clots and the AstraZeneca vaccine.
Although blood clots can emerge from sitting too long due to travel and certain birth control, their presence after receiving AstraZeneca, while rare, made it distinct, Fulford says.
A similar situation has played out with myocarditis and pericarditis, or inflammation of the heart muscle and lining around the heart respectively.
While also considered rare, people have reported cases after receiving a COVID-19 mRNA vaccine, with higher rates observed following a second dose, among young and adolescent males, and with the Moderna vaccine, the latter possibly due to it being a higher dose than Pfizer.
With files from CTV News
What Each Ingredient Does
mRNA
Messenger RNA, or mRNA is genetic material that can instruct human cells to make a coronavirus protein called spike. Once manufactured, spike teaches the immune system to recognize the coronavirus so it can be fought off in the future. mRNA medicines arent small molecules, like traditional pharmaceuticals. And they arent traditional biologics which were the genesis of the biotech industry. Instead, mRNA medicines are sets of instructions. And these instructions direct cells in the body to make proteins to prevent or fight disease.
Most work on using mRNA to provoke an immune response has so far been focused on cancer, with tumor mRNA being used to help peoples immune systems recognize and respond to the proteins produced by their specific tumors. This technology was very good for the oncology field because you can develop patient-specific vaccines because every tumor is different, said Prof. Bekeredjian-Ding.
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Lipids
According to experts, all the ingredients in the vaccine are needed, but the lipids are also a crucial element. The lipids, which are fats, are very important because they form a little spherical shell around that mRNA, William Schaffner, MD, an infectious disease specialist, and professor at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, tells Health.
The lipids are how the vaccine
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What Are The Side Effects Of Each Vaccine
As with any vaccine, some minor side effects are to be expected. In a fact sheet provided by the FDA regarding the Pfizer vaccine, the following side effects are listed as a possibility:
- Injection site pain, swelling, or redness
- Tiredness
- Sodium acetate
- Sucrose
Generally speaking, the mRNA does the heavy lifting for the vaccine, while the lipids help deliver the mRNA to your body, and the other ingredients help with pH maintenance and stability of the vaccine. “At the end of the day, these two vaccines are pretty similar,” Thomas Russo, MD, professor and chief of infectious disease at the University at Buffalo in New York, told Health. “There are proprietary tweaks between the two of them but, at the end of the day, they’re very similar.”
Rajeev Fernando, MD, an infectious disease specialist working in COVID-19 field hospitals across the country, agreed. “They’re pretty much the same thing,” Dr. Fernando told Health.
Does It Prevent Infection And Transmission
There is currently insufficient evidence available related to impact of Pfizer BioNTech vaccine on transmission or viral shedding.
In the meantime, we must maintain and strengthen public health measures that work: masking, physical distancing, handwashing, respiratory and cough hygiene, avoiding crowds, and ensuring good ventilation.
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Weighing The Benefits And Risks
Its important to recognize that some side effects from the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine are common and normal. If you experience mild to moderate side effects after the first dose, that doesnt mean you should skip the second dose.
Your immunity is incomplete , and it might not be effective. So you have more than likely wasted the first dose, if you dont get the second one in time, Dr. Waleed Javaid, an associate professor of infectious disease at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City, he said.
If you have questions or concerns about the vaccine, Javaid recommends speaking with your healthcare provider.
He noted that its important to consider the potential benefits of the vaccine, as well as the potential risks.
Why are we getting the COVID vaccine to begin with? Because we are in a big pandemic. We know the real consequence of not having immunity to COVID, which can lead to somebodys death, Javaid told Healthline.
Injection site reactions, some aches and pains, some other potential side effects versus death. Thats the balance people have to think about, he said.
What’s The Difference Between Pfizer’s And Moderna’s Booster
Pfizer and BioNTech’s booster dose is the same size as its original vaccine, 30 micrograms. While Moderna’s booster dose is only half the size of the doses given as the first two shots, its booster is slightly larger than Pfizer’s, at 50 micrograms. Both are mRNA vaccines, which teach our cells to make a specific protein and build immunity against a virus.
Johnson & Johnson’s booster and vaccine are the same dose. It’s a viral vector vaccine that uses a harmless virus to activate an immune response that teaches our bodies what to fight in future infections. However, the FDA recently said Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine should only be given to people who either can’t take Pfizer’s or Moderna’s vaccine and those who choose Johnson & Johnson’s because they don’t want an mRNA vaccine.
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What If I Got A J& j Vaccine Should I Worry About Blood Clots
If you received a Johnson & Johnson vaccine more than three weeks ago, you do not need to watch for side effects related to blood clots.
If you received the J& J vaccine within the last three weeks, you should watch for possible symptoms of TTS and get medical help immediately if you have any of the following:
- Severe or persistent headaches or blurred vision
- Shortness of breath
- Easy bruising or tiny blood spots under the skin near the injection site
Risks Of The Pfizer Covid
Scientists at the CDC and the FDA are reviewing reports of myocarditis and pericarditis in people who’ve received the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines. These very rare cases usually occur after the second dose and are more common in teen boys and young adult males. Symptoms include a fluttering heart or shortness of breath.
Still, the CDC says the benefits of vaccination outweigh the known and possible risks, including myocarditis and pericarditis. Most people with these conditions recover quickly in response to medication and rest.
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Q: Who May Receive A Booster Dose Of The Pfizer
A: The FDA amended the emergency use authorization for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine to allow for the use of a single booster dose administered at least 5 months after completing a primary series of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine or Comirnaty in individuals 12 years of age and older.
Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine is administered as a two-dose primary series in individuals 5 years of age and older, as a third primary series for individuals 5 years of age and older who have been determined to have certain kinds of immunocompromise.
A single booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine may be administered to individuals 18 years of age and older as a heterologous booster dose following completion of primary vaccination with a different authorized COVID-19 vaccine. The dosing interval for the heterologous booster dose is the same as that authorized for a booster dose of the vaccine used for primary vaccination.
A Simple Breakdown Of The Ingredients In The Covid Vaccines
Three COVID-19 vaccines have been granted Emergency Use Authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration since mid-December 2020. Prior to authorization by the FDA, these vaccines underwent the same rigorous safety and effectiveness standards as all other vaccines. Quickly, vaccine distribution began, starting with health care professionals on the frontlines of patient care.
Once available to the broader public, its critical that a high percentage of the population receive the vaccine in order to achieve herd immunity against COVID-19. Herd immunity occurs when most of a population is immune to an infectious disease and provides indirect protection to those who are not immune to the disease.
There have been many rumors flying around on the internet about whats in the vaccine. Some rumors even suggested that the vaccines contain gluten, wheat, eggs and even bee venom! All of that is simply, untrue.
If youre among the many wondering whats actually in it? and, is it safe to receive the injection?, keep reading.
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Why Boosters Are Needed
While two vaccine doses are likely to provide a good degree of protection against severe disease from Omicron for some time, a booster dose offers greater protection.
Current evidence shows your protection against infection after vaccination decreases over time. Giving a top up vaccine after a primary course helps boost your immunity against COVID-19. More information on waning immunity.
- type of variant
- type of protection provided .
The current boosters available in New Zealand provide a high level of protection against Omicron related hospitalisation, severe disease, and death.
People Who Are Not Recommended To Have The Pfizer Vaccine
It’s not recommended that you have the Pfizer vaccine if you have had:
- a severe allergic reaction to a previous dose of the vaccine
- anaphylaxis after exposure to any component of the vaccine, including polyethylene glycol
- myocarditis and/or pericarditis attributed to a previous dose of the vaccine
- any other serious adverse event attributed to a previous dose of the vaccine.
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Everything You Need To Know About The Pfizer Vaccine
Christin Perry is a freelance writer and editor. Her work has been published in The Bump, The Knot, Scary Mommy, LittleThings, Parents, Qeepsake, and more. She has experience writing email marketing campaigns, website copy, and SEO-optimized content. Christin is also a mom of three.
Can This Vaccine Be Mixed And Matched With Other Vaccines
SAGE accepts two heterologous doses of WHO EUL COVID-19 vaccines as a complete primary series.
For countries considering heterologous schedules, WHO has made recommendations to ensure equivalent or favourable immunogenicity or vaccine effectiveness for heterologous versus homologous schedules:
- Either of the WHO EUL COVID-19 vectored vaccines can be used as a second dose following a first dose of the Pfizer vaccine, dependant on product availability.
- The Pfizer vaccine can also be used as a second dose following any of the WHO EUL COVID-19 inactivated vaccines or any of the vectored vaccines
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As Authorized Under An Eua The Pfizer
- a third dose 4 weeks after the second dose to people 5 years of age and older who are immunocompromised
- a single booster dose at least 6 months after completion of a primary series with Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to people 5years of age and older.
- a single booster dose to people 18 years of age and older who have completed a primary series with a different authorized COVID-19 vaccine. Please check with your healthcare provider regarding the timing of the booster.
- a second booster dose at least 4 months after receiving a first booster of any authorized or approved COVID-19 vaccine to people 50 years of age and older or people 12 years of age and older.who are immunocompromised .
Pfe Outlook And Stock Performance
Pfizer affirmed its FY 2022 guidance for Comirnaty and Paxlovid revenue of roughly $32 billion and $22 billion, respectively. It raised its operational guidance for total revenue and adjusted EPS for FY 2022 by about $2 billion and 24 cents, respectively. Including the impact of foreign exchange rates, the company’s guidance for revenue remains $98 billion to $102 billion, while the guidance for adjusted EPS becomes $6.30 to $6.45, adjusted slightly from $6.25 to $6.45.
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Should Pregnant And Breastfeeding Women Be Vaccinated
Given the adverse consequences of COVID-19 disease during pregnancy and the increasing data supporting a favorable safety profile of BNT162b2 in pregnancy, WHO recommends the use of BNT162b2 in pregnant individuals. WHO does not recommend pregnancy testingprior to vaccination. WHO does not recommend delaying pregnancy or terminating pregnancy because of vaccination.
Vaccine effectiveness is expected to be similar in breastfeeding women as in other adults. WHO recommends the use of the vaccine in breastfeeding women as in other adults. WHO does not recommend discontinuing breastfeeding because of vaccination.
You Should Seek Medical Attention Right Away If You Have Any Of The Following Symptoms After Receiving The Pfizer
- chest pain
- shortness of breath
- feelings of having a fast-beating, fluttering, or pounding heart
These may not be all the possible side effects of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. Serious and unexpected side effects may occur. Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is still being studied in clinical trials.
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Pfe Conference Call Recap
In an earnings call after results were announced, Pfizer Chief Executive Officer Albert Bourla indicated that his company will continue to see strong demand for its Covid-19 treatments.
After 2½ long years, like everyone else, we would hope that this global health crisis would be over soon, Bourla said. But as much as hope is important, hope is not science. And science is telling us that Covid-19 likely will remain a major global healthcare concern for years to come.” The company said it is focusing on developing the next generation of Covid-19 vaccines as well as new uses for existing Covid-19 products.
After briefly rising, Pfizer shares traded roughly sideways in pre-market trading hours July 28 after the company’s earnings report. The company’s stock has provided a 1-year trailing total return of 27.6%, well ahead of the -8.6% total return of the S& P 500, as of July 28.
Pfizer’s next earnings report is expected to be released on Nov. 1, 2022.
First Some Basics About How Pfizer’s Covid
The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine comprises a newer technology called messenger RNA . The Moderna COVID-19 vaccine also uses mRNA technology. While it’s the first time used in a vaccine, researchers have been studying the possibility of an mRNA vaccine for decades.
An mRNA vaccine works by encoding a portion of the spike protein found on the surface of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . These mRNA vaccines use pieces of the encoded protein to create an immune response in your body, which then develops antibodies.
After the vaccine prompts an immune response, your body will eliminate the protein and the mRNA. However, the antibodies will stay put for an estimated eight months.
Because the vaccine only uses the spike protein, it cannot give someone the virus. Researchers have also vigorously studied the safety of the vaccine and have found no evidence of the mRNA vaccine interacting with your DNA or affecting your fertility.
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Storage And Handling Of Pfizer
Follow CDCs and manufacturers guidance for vaccine storage. Some vaccine storage conditions are associated with beyond-use dates and times. Providers should track these time frames.
Vaccine should NOT be used after the expiration date or beyond-use date/time.
- Ensure staff are knowledgeable about correct storage of the vaccines.
- Follow CDCs guidance for storage units and temperature monitoring.
- Vaccines and diluents must be unpacked, stored at recommended temperatures, and documented immediately after arrival.
Find information and resources for each of the available Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccines.
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