With two COVID-19 vaccines approved by the Food and Drug Administration and several more waiting in the wings, people are questioning which drug is the best for them.
According to medical experts contributing to USA Today, they are all the best. Even though some vaccines, like the Johnson & Johnson one-dose jab, stop 66% of COVID-19 infections versus the Pfizer and Moderna drugs that are 95% effective, experts say that all the vaccines are 100% successful in preventing hospitalizations and death.
“Waiting for the right vaccine is the worst thing you can do to lower your risk of getting severely ill and dying of COVID-19,” write the authors, who are members of the Biden-Harris Transition Advisory Board and include noted epidemiologist Dr. Michael Osterholm.
The experts caution that COVID-19 can cause severe disease in 20% of the population and death in 1% of us. The risks escalate with age and underlying medical conditions.
“All seven COVID-19 vaccines that have completed large efficacy trials — Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, Novavax, AstraZeneca, Sputnik V, and Sinovac — appear to be 100% effective for serious complications,” say the authors. “Not a single vaccinated person has died of COVID-19.”
Research shows that getting vaccinated helps reduce the rate of transmission of COVID-19, which will also help slow the spread of the more contagious variants appearing on the scene.
According to Nature, Israeli scientists are already seeing a decline in the number of infections and hospitalizations among older people six weeks after they were vaccinated. Close to 90% of people aged 60 and older have been vaccinated in Israel, resulting in an impressive 41% drop in confirmed COVID-19 cases.
“Every day that passes without getting vaccinated is a day where you have a higher risk of getting infected, becoming seriously ill, and dying,” according to USA Today. “Whatever benefit you think you might get from waiting for the ‘best’ vaccine isn’t worth the risk you take on while waiting. The best thing you can do is get vaccinated as soon as you’re able with whichever vaccine is available to you.”
Lynn C. Allison ✉
Lynn C. Allison, a Newsmax health reporter, is an award-winning medical journalist and author of more than 30 self-help books.
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