Biotech startup Moderna became a leading contender in the production of Covid-19 vaccines last year in November as the results of clinical trials revealed that the vaccine was 94.1% effective in Phase 3 trials.
With Indian drug regulator giving its nod for the emergency use of vaccine in the country, here are five facts one should know before considering the Moderna vaccine as an option.
The vaccine developed by Moderna is an mRNA vaccine, which works differently than a typical vaccine. Instead of preventing infection, the vaccine works to teach the body to better fight the virus, lessening its severity.
Even if the 94.5% efficacy rating, a concern with any vaccine is safety. For Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine, early safety signs are good. Of the participants examined, there have been no major safety concerns reported.
Like the Covaxin and Covishield vaccine, two doses will be required of Moderna’s jab. You would need to get one shot of the vaccine first, and then come back weeks later to get another shot of the vaccine.
A huge win for Moderna’s vaccine is that it doesn’t require extreme cold storage. This will help greatly with shipping logistics and distribution especially in India where temperature is mostly on the higher side.
Based on the evidence so far, the new variants of Coronavirus, including the Delta variant first found in India, do not alter the effectiveness of the Moderna mRNA vaccine.