Pfizer and Moderna vaccines should be safe for most Americans, but 5 groups may want to wait for more data before getting shots
US vaccine regulators on Friday authorized the nation’s second coronavirus shot for emergency use.
The Food and Drug Administration determined that the benefits of Moderna’s coronavirus vaccine outweighed the known and potential risks, based on data from clinical trials. The agency authorized Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine a week prior.
Most participants in Pfizer’s trial reported temporary side effects after being vaccinated, including fatigue, headaches, and pain at the injection site. In Moderna’s trial, nine in 10 people who got the shots registered some side effects, but they were mostly mild or moderate.
Neither trial found any major safety concerns. Their results were consistent across genders, age groups, ethnic and racial groups, and people with preexisting medical problems.
Both studies were at or above the average size for a phase-three vaccine trial: Pfizer’s late-stage
