Which COVID-19 vaccine is best
Short answer = they are all effective. All coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines are safe and effective. They give you the best protection against COVID-19.
But, come on, which COVID-19 vaccine is best? As we said, there is no ‘best one’.
Who can get a COVID-19 vaccine?
In the UK, everyone aged 5 years (on or before 31 August 2022) and over can get a 1st and 2nd dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
People aged 16 and over, and some children aged 12 to 15, can also get a booster dose.
Some people, including those aged 50 years or over, those at higher risk or who are pregnant, and frontline health and social care workers, will be offered a seasonal booster (autumn booster).
Types of COVID-19 vaccine
The COVID-19 vaccines currently approved for use in the UK are:
- Moderna vaccine
- Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine
- Nuvaxovid vaccine (Novavax).
Note. Oxford/AstraZeneca, Janssen and Valneva vaccines are not currently available.
Which vaccine will I get?
You cannot usually choose which vaccine you have. If you book online, you’ll only be offered appointments for vaccines that are suitable for you.
Most people can have any of the COVID-19 vaccines, but some people are only offered certain vaccines. For example:
- If you’re pregnant or under 40 you’ll usually be offered appointments for the Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna vaccines
- If you’re under 18, you’ll only be offered the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine
- You should have the same vaccine for both your 1st and 2nd doses, unless you had serious side effects (such as a serious allergic reaction) after your 1st dose.
Most people will be offered a booster dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine or Moderna vaccine.
This means your booster dose may be different from the vaccine you had for your first 2 doses.
Summary
We have described which COVID-19 vaccine is best, i.e. they all are. We hope you understand it better now.
Other resources
What is COVID-19?
Symptoms of COVID-19
When can I go back to work, school, college or uni?
Which COVID-19 test should I have?
What does a positive lateral flow test look like?
Should pregnant women have a COVID-19 vaccination (yes)?
