The COVID-19 vaccines developed by pharmaceutical companies Moderna and Pfizer have each received an emergency use authorization from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and are in the early stages of distribution, however, key differences in the vaccines may impact which healthcare providers are able to access them.
The two vaccines have minor differences in terms of administration and dosage, but more impactful is the stark difference in storage requirements.
The Pfizer vaccine must be shipped and stored between -112 and -76 degrees Fahrenheit in specialty ultra-cold freezers.
Alternatively, the vaccine may be stored temporarily in a thermal shipping container and regularly covered in dry ice. It may also be kept in a refrigerator between 36 and 46 degrees Fahrenheit for up to five days, at which point any remaining vials must be discarded.
Those ultra-cold storage requirements require specialty equipment that not all hospitals or healthcare providers are equipped with.
In comparison, the Moderna vaccine may be shipped and stored in a regular freezer between -13 and five degrees Fahrenheit. Additionally, it lasts in refrigerator storage between 36 and 46 degrees Fahrenheit for up to 30 days before vials must be discarded.
Providence Health and Services is among the healthcare organizations that have made the necessary preparations to receive and distribute the Pfizer vaccine across their network of locations, which includes Holy Cross Hospital in Mission Hills and the Facey Medical Group in the Santa Clarita Valley.
Related: Providence Health To Receive Over 26,000 Doses Of COVID-19 Vaccine In Next Two Weeks
“We’re very used to handling the flu vaccine every year, but the specific requirements of cold storage around this particular vaccine makes it a bit of a challenge,” said Sy Amirpoor, Pharm.D, Providence regional executive director pharmacy. “We have come up with a model for distribution that is a hub and spoke that would allow select hospitals within our region to service the other hospitals and then we created the systems for the ultra-cold storage in those sites.”
The Pfizer vaccine has been authorized for people aged 16 and older while the Moderna vaccine is authorized for those 18 and older.
Both vaccines require a series of two doses to be administered to the recipient, with different intervals between doses based on the vaccine.
Moderna’s series consists of two 100 milligram doses administered 28 days apart, while Pfizer’s includes two 30 milligram doses administered 21 days apart.
The key similarity between the two vaccines however is in their effectiveness.
Pfizer’s vaccine was 95 percent effective at preventing symptomatic Covid infection, measured beginning seven days after administration of the second dose.
The Moderna vaccine was roughly as effective at preventing symptomatic COVID-19 at 94.1 percent, measured beginning 14 days after the second dose.
Some minor side effects have been reported, including soreness near the site where the vaccine was administered, headache, muscle ache, fever, chills and fatigue, according to Dr. Paul Simon, chief science officer and director of the Division of Assessment, Planning, and Quality at LADPH.
It is important to note that it is highly unlikely individuals, if presented an opportunity to be vaccinated, would have the option to select a preferred vaccine, particularly in the early distribution as supply remains limited and government agencies and healthcare providers target the most vulnerable populations.
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