Q: What vaccines are currently available?

A: All COVID-19 vaccines that have received full approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or approval for Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) have been shown to be safe and effective.

• The FDA has approved the Pfizer-BioNTech first COVID-19 vaccine, marketed as Comirnaty, for the prevention of COVID-19 disease in individuals 16 years of age and older. The Pfizer vaccine is available under FDA emergency use authorization (EUA) and recommended by the CDC for adolescents ages 12 through 15. A pediatric Pfizer vaccine is recommended by the CDC for children 5-11 years old. The Pfizer vaccine is also recommended for a third booster dose in certain immunocompromised adults. To learn about the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, read the FDA’s COVID-19 FAQ and the CDC’s media statement for pediatric vaccine recommendations.
• The FDA has issued an EUA for the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for use in individuals 18 years of age and older and for an additional dose in certain immunocompromised individuals. For information about the ModernaTX Inc. COVID-19 vaccine, visit the FDA website.
• A third COVID-19 vaccine from Janssen Inc., a division of Johnson & Johnson, has received an EUA approval from the FDA for individuals 18 years and older. For more information visit the FDA’s website.

Booster shots of all authorized vaccines (Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna or J&J) are available for those who are at higher risk for COVID-19 exposure or severe illness.