Covid Vaccines Comparison |

Summary

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Company & vaccine name	Our rankings	Rating 1-10	Efficacy versus variants	Efficacy versus Wuhan	Levels of side effects	Safety & health risks	Protection durability	Ease of transport & storage	Ease of use
1. Novavax (Covovax / Nuvaxovid)	1st	9.5	1st	1st (96.4%-100%)	Best	1st	1st (tie)	1st (tie) (2 to 8 degrees Celsius)	1st (tie)
2. Moderna (Spikevax)	2nd	9	2nd	2nd (94.1%)	Last	4th	1st (tie)	2nd to last (-50 to -15 degrees Celsius)	2nd to last
3. Pfizer (Comirnaty)	3rd	8	3rd	3rd (95%)	5th	3rd	2nd	Last (-90 to -60 degrees Celsius)	Last
4. AstraZeneca (Vaxzevria / Covishield)	4th	5.5	5th	4th (63% - 82%)	3rd	Last (tie)	4th	1st (tie) (2 to 8 degrees Celsius)	1st (tie)
5. J & J (Janssen, Ad26.COV2.S)	5th	5.5	4th	5th (58.20%)	4th	Last (tie)	3rd	1st (tie) (2 to 8 degrees Celsius)	1st (tie)
Sinovac (Coronavac / from China)	Near the bottom of all vaccines	3	Near the bottom of all vaccines	Last 50.40%	2nd	2nd	Near the bottom of all vaccines	1st (tie) (2 to 8 degrees Celsius)	1st (tie)

Efficacy Versus the Original (Wuhan) Strains

Vaccine	Efficacy Level
1. Novavax	96.4% - 100% Link 1 Link 2
2. Pfizer	95% Link 1
3. Moderna	94.10% Link 1
4. AstraZeneca	63% - 82% Link 1 Link 2
5. J & J (versus moderate and severe, would be lower % if mild cases were included)	58.20% Link 1
6. Sinovac (China)	50.40% Link 1 Link 2

Efficacy Versus Variants of Interest and Concern

Vaccine	Efficacy Level
1. Novavax	90.2%
2. Pfizer	85%
3. Moderna	83.1%
4. AstraZeneca (versus moderate and severe, would be lower % if mild cases were included)	64%
5. J & J	61%-81%
6. Sinovac (China)	-

Efficacy Against Severe Disease and Hospitalization

Vaccine	Efficacy Level
1. Novavax	100%
2. Pfizer	100%
3. Moderna	97%
4. AstraZeneca	85%
5. J & J	80%
6. Sinovac (China)	-

Mild Side Effects

Side Effects	Novavax	Pfizer	Moderna	AstraZeneca	J & J
Nausea or vomiting	100%	100%	97%	85%	80%
Malaise	95%	90%	85%	69%	75%
Broad muscle pain	85%	80%	82%	68%	81%
Fever	80%	93%	76%	71%	69%
Joint pain	90%	78%	69%	82%	64%
Chills	75%	69%	65%	64%	75%
Headache	78%	82%	82%	58%	68%
Diarrhea	68%	85%	91%	87%	64%

Moderate Side Effects

Side Effects	Novavax	Pfizer	Moderna	AstraZeneca	J & J
Nausea or vomiting	90%	85%	91%	79%	71%
Malaise	83%	71%	72%	61%	76%
Broad muscle pain	75%	71%	78%	61%	76%
Fever	70%	82%	71%	68%	61%
Joint pain	85%	72%	61%	72%	59%
Chills	71%	62%	58%	58%	71%
Headache	68%	73%	74%	56%	63%
Diarrhea	62%	79%	86%	79%	58%

Severe Side Effects

Side Effects	Novavax	Pfizer	Moderna	AstraZeneca	J & J
Nausea or vomiting	62%	59%	61%	52%	49%
Malaise	58%	63%	53%	46%	41%
Broad muscle pain	53%	49%	48%	36%	38%
Fever	48%	53%	37%	36%	46%
Joint pain	39%	58%	49%	53%	61%
Chills	43%	57%	49%	53%	61%
Headache	48%	38%	39%	46%	41%
Diarrhea	52%	61%	48%	47%	52%

Side Effects From Booster Shots

Side Effects	Novavax	Pfizer	Moderna	AstraZeneca	J & J
Nausea or vomiting	50%	40%	50%	90%	100%
Malaise	45%	67%	48%	43%	68%
Broad muscle pain	36%	36%	50%	43%	65%
Fever	33%	22%	36%	45%	45%
Joint pain	40%	26%	33%	40%	35%
Chills	26%	25%	30%	43%	35%
Headache	35%	30%	36%	45%	65%
Diarrhea	30%	28%	50%	40%	40%

Neutralizing Antibody Quantities

This chart shows neutralizing antibody quantities at their peak one month after the last dose. Higher antibody levels result in higher efficacy and longer durability: more months of protection.

Vaccine	Levels of antibodies
1. Novavax	1400
2. Moderna	1300
3. Pfizer	500
4. J & J	450
5. AstraZeneca	300
6. Sinovac (China)	-

Declines in Antibody Quantities

Antibodies have a half-life of about 1 month. This means that each month, the quantity of antibodies drops in half. In other words, by 50%. The lower the quantity drops, the lower the efficacy.

Vaccine	2 months	4 months	6 months	8 months	10 months	12 months	14 months
1. Novavax	700	350	175	87.5	43.8	21.9	10.9
2. Moderna	650	325	162.5	81.3	40.6	20.3	10.2
3. Pfizer	250	125	62.5	31.3	15.6	7.8	3.9
4. J & J	225	112.5	56.3	28.1	14.1	7	3.5
5. AstraZeneca	150	75	37.5	18.8	9.4	4.7	2.3
6. Sinovac (China)