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Health Expert Compares Pfizer-BioNTech And Moderna Covid-19 Vaccines, Goes Viral

Health Expert Compares Pfizer-BioNTech And Moderna Covid-19 Vaccines, Goes Viral

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Researchers have blessed us with Covid-19 vaccines in record time—the process could have taken them 10 to 15 years, but the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted emergency authorization to vaccines made by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna in less than a year. Before 2020, the fastest-ever vaccine—for mumps—took 4 years to develop in the 1960s.

Both of these shots achieve the same result: they help our bodies to develop immunity to the virus that causes Covid-19 without us having to get the illness. There are, however, slight differences between them.

Health expert Amanda Howell has published a comprehensive presentation, inviting everyone to take a closer look at the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines and get a better understanding of the way leading out of this horrific pandemic.

More info: Instagram | Twitter

Image credits: amandahowellhealth

Image credits: amandahowellhealth

Image credits: amandahowellhealth

Image credits: amandahowellhealth

According to medical experts, allergic reactions from vaccines are rare, but can sometimes happen. In the first data available since authorized immunizations began in the U.S. in December, the CDC reported 353 adverse events (roughly 1.9 million doses have been served nationwide).

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Still, the FDA said it was looking into allergic reactions that happened after people were given Pfizer’s vaccine. Doran Fink, deputy director of the FDA’s division of vaccines and related product applications, said the agency will consider whether additional recommendations on the vaccines are needed after the investigation.

Image credits: amandahowellhealth

Image credits: amandahowellhealth

Image credits: amandahowellhealth

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You could say this presentation was Howell’s passion project. She has a master’s degree in public health and owns a health consulting company; Amanda works primarily in the health education and communication space and finds absolute joy in taking complex scientific topics and making them easier to understand and more enjoyable to look at. Instagram is the main place to find her fun, informative posts on a wide range of health topics.

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“My post started as a comparison between the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines and quickly turned into an easily-digestible source of Covid-19 vaccine information,” Howell told Bored Panda. “My community looks to me as an expert in matters of public health and they had questions about the differences between the two. Moreover, not many people understand mRNA technology or research in this area spanning decades. Making one of my classic ‘swipe posts’ has always been an incredibly easy way for me to get information about important topics out to my community quickly.”

Image credits: amandahowellhealth

Image credits: amandahowellhealth

In terms of effectiveness for Covid-19 and use in the general public, Howell thinks both of these vaccines are on the same playing field and equally amazing. “Neither is more preferable than the other. My recommendation is to get whatever one is offered to you as soon as possible. From a storage perspective, Moderna is less complicated for health organizations because it doesn’t require an ultra-cold freezer for storage,” she explained.

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Given the fact that there is a lot of scary-sounding misinformation online regarding vaccines, mRNA technology, and health, Howell advises people to get their information from the experts.

“‘Digital pandemics’ (the viral spread of misinformation online) are a massive public health issue. Experts in public health are working hard to combat misinformation, much of this is done on our time (for free). We don’t have any agenda other than protecting the health and wellness of our communities,” she added.

People have been really thankful for the comparison

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Justinas Keturka

Justinas Keturka

Author, BoredPanda staff

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I'm the Visual Editor at Bored Panda, responsible for ensuring that everything our audience sees is top-notch and well-researched. What I love most about my job? Discovering new things about the world and immersing myself in exceptional photography and art.

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Justinas Keturka

Justinas Keturka

Author, BoredPanda staff

I'm the Visual Editor at Bored Panda, responsible for ensuring that everything our audience sees is top-notch and well-researched. What I love most about my job? Discovering new things about the world and immersing myself in exceptional photography and art.

Rokas Laurinavičius

Rokas Laurinavičius

Writer, BoredPanda staff

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Rokas is a writer at Bored Panda with a BA in Communication. After working for a sculptor, he fell in love with visual storytelling and enjoys covering everything from TV shows (any Sopranos fans out there?) to photography. Throughout his years in Bored Panda, over 300 million people have read the posts he's written, which is probably more than he could count to.

Read less »

Rokas Laurinavičius

Rokas Laurinavičius

Writer, BoredPanda staff

Rokas is a writer at Bored Panda with a BA in Communication. After working for a sculptor, he fell in love with visual storytelling and enjoys covering everything from TV shows (any Sopranos fans out there?) to photography. Throughout his years in Bored Panda, over 300 million people have read the posts he's written, which is probably more than he could count to.

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A.M. Pierre
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"Could kill you" vs. "Won't kill you". "Could feel horrific for weeks or months or years" vs "Could feel bad for a day". Hmmmm.... tough call /s

Parmeisan
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Is Islander Cowboy trying to claim that the vaccine has a 1% kill rate? It looks like it, but I haven't heard of a single death from it - has anybody else? A google search revealed only this article about misinformation: https://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/news/2020/12/16/covid-19-vaccine-death-rumor-fact-check-alabama-nurse-rumors/3932335001/

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Something
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"It has a 99% survival rate"? Some cancers do too. Nobody takes those lightly. Also, COVID has all those weird random easter eggs like hearing loss and "COVID toes".

Jenn C
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

People who say, but only x% of people die, ignore that fact that, plus up to 40% chance of organ damage, and 1/4 of Covid patients still exhausted or showing symptoms for more than a month (long Covid).

Load More Replies...
Dave P
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Actually the Moderna one can be stored up to three days at 38f, that is the long term storage temp. Pfizers temp that cold is for both long and short term. So while on paper Pfizers is slightly better, uses less dosages, etc, Moderna's one is better for distribution given that is can be stored short term in a standard fridge and long term in a regular commercial freezer unlike Pfizers which requires special equipment. Rural areas and developing nations the Moderna one is better, big cities in Developed countries Pfizers would be the better option.

Leo Domitrix
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Exactly. Moderna will be far more accessible in rural America, for example, whereas Pfizer's might be much easier to find if you live near a huge medical center in a medium to large city. I'm rural. I'll end up with Moderna's, is my guess. We can't afford new freezers at our local hospital!

Load More Replies...
Load More Comments
A.M. Pierre
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"Could kill you" vs. "Won't kill you". "Could feel horrific for weeks or months or years" vs "Could feel bad for a day". Hmmmm.... tough call /s

Parmeisan
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Is Islander Cowboy trying to claim that the vaccine has a 1% kill rate? It looks like it, but I haven't heard of a single death from it - has anybody else? A google search revealed only this article about misinformation: https://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/news/2020/12/16/covid-19-vaccine-death-rumor-fact-check-alabama-nurse-rumors/3932335001/

Load More Replies...
Something
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"It has a 99% survival rate"? Some cancers do too. Nobody takes those lightly. Also, COVID has all those weird random easter eggs like hearing loss and "COVID toes".

Jenn C
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

People who say, but only x% of people die, ignore that fact that, plus up to 40% chance of organ damage, and 1/4 of Covid patients still exhausted or showing symptoms for more than a month (long Covid).

Load More Replies...
Dave P
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Actually the Moderna one can be stored up to three days at 38f, that is the long term storage temp. Pfizers temp that cold is for both long and short term. So while on paper Pfizers is slightly better, uses less dosages, etc, Moderna's one is better for distribution given that is can be stored short term in a standard fridge and long term in a regular commercial freezer unlike Pfizers which requires special equipment. Rural areas and developing nations the Moderna one is better, big cities in Developed countries Pfizers would be the better option.

Leo Domitrix
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Exactly. Moderna will be far more accessible in rural America, for example, whereas Pfizer's might be much easier to find if you live near a huge medical center in a medium to large city. I'm rural. I'll end up with Moderna's, is my guess. We can't afford new freezers at our local hospital!

Load More Replies...
Load More Comments
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