Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine Overview and Safety
General Information
Name: mRNA–1273
Manufacturer: ModernaTX, Inc.
Type of Vaccine: mRNA
Number of Shots: 2 shots, 28 days apart
Some immunocompromised people should get 3 shots.
Booster Shots: At this time, people who got the Moderna
vaccine are not eligible for a booster shot. More data on the
effectiveness and safety of Moderna booster shots are
expected soon. With those data in hand, CDC will keep the
public informed with a timely plan for Moderna booster
shots.
How Given: Shot in the muscle of the upper arm
Does NOT Contain: Eggs, preservatives, latex. metals
Full List of Ingredients
Who Should Get Vaccinated
How Given: Shot in the muscle of the upper arm
Does NOT Contain: Eggs, preservatives, latex. metals
Full List of Ingredients
• The Moderna vaccine is recommended for people aged 18 years and older.
• Learn more about how CDC is making COVID-19 vaccine recommendations.
Who Should NOT Get Vaccinated
• Ifyou have had a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxls) or an Immediate allergic reaction, even if it was not
severe, to any ingredient in an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine (such as polyethylene glycol), you should not get an mRNA
COVID-19 vaccine.
• Ifyou had a severe or immediate allergic reaction after getting the first dose of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, you
should not get a second dose of either of the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines (Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech).
• A severe allergic reaction Is one that needs to be treated with epinephrine or EpiPen or with medical care. Learn
about common side effects of COVID-19 vaccines and when to call a doctor.
• An immediate allergic reaction means a reaction within 4 hours of getting the shot, including symptoms such as
hives, swelling, or wheezing (respiratory distress).
If you aren’t able to get an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, you may still be able to get a different type of COVID–19 vawne. Get
more information for people with allergies
Possible Side Effects
In the arm where you got the shot: Throughout the rest of your body
• Pain • Tiredness
• Redness • Headache
• Swelling • Muscle pain
These side effects happen within a day or two of getting the vaccine. They are normal signs that your body is building
protection and should go away within a few days.
Learn more about possible side effects after getting a COVID-19 vaccine
• Tiredness
• Redness • Headache
• Muscle pain
• Chills
• Fever
• Nausea
Other Authorized and Recommended COVID-19 Vaccines in the United States.
• Pfizer-BioNTech
• Johnson &Johnson’s Janssen
You should get a COVID-19 vaccination as soon as possible. All currently authorized and recommended COVID–19
vaccines are safe and effective, and CDC does not recommend one vaccine over another.
COVID-19 vaccines are not interchangeable. If you received a Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, you should
get the same product for your second shot.
Safety Data Summary
• In clinical trials, reactogenicity symptoms (side effects that happen within 7 days of getting vaccinated) were common but
were mostly mild to moderate. Few people had reactions that affected their ability to do daily activities.
• Side effects throughout the body (such as fever, chills, tiredness, and headache) were more common after the second
dose of the vaccine.
• Cases of myocarditis and pericarditis in adolescents and young adults have been reported more often after getting the
second dose than after the first dose of one of the two mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, Pfizer–BioNTech or Moderna. These
reports are rare and the known and potential benefits of COVID-19 vaccination outweigh the known and potential risks,
Including the possible risk of myocarditis or perlcardltls.
• CDC will continue to provide updates as we learn more about the safety of the Moderna vaccine in real-world condit ions.
Learn more about vaccine safety monitoring after a vaccine is authorized or approved for use
HowWell the Vaccine Works
• Based on evidence from clinical trials, in people aged 18 years and older, the Moderna vaccine was 94.1% effective at
preventing laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 infection in people who received two doses and had no evidence of being
previously infected.
• The vaccine was also highly effective in clinical trials at preventing COVID-19 among people of diverse age, sex, race, and
ethnicity categories and among people with underlying medical conditions.
• CDC will continue to provide updates as we learn more about how well the Moderna vaccine works in real-world
conditions.
Clinical Trial Demographic Information
Clinical trials for the Moderna vaccine included people from the following racial, ethnic, age, and sex categories:
Race
• 79% White
• 10% African American
• 5%Asian
• <3% other races/ethnicities
• <1 %American Indian or Alaska Native
• <1 % Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
Ethnicity
• 79% not Hispanic or Latino
• 20% Hispanic or Latino
• 1% unknown
Sex
• 53% male
• 47% female
Age
• 75% 18 through 64 years
• 25% 65 years and older
Twenty-two {22%) of people who participated in the clinical trials had at least one condition that put them at risk of severe
illness from COVID-19. The most frequent underlying medical conditions among participants were lung disease, heart disease,
obesity, diabetes, liver disease, or HIV infection. Four percent (4%) of participants had two or more high-risk conditions.
Most people who participated in the trials (82%) were considered to have an occupational risk of exposure, with 25% of them
being healthcare workers.
Related Pages
> Possible Side Effects
> Safety of COVID-19 Vaccines
> Benefits of Getting Vaccinated
> How Vaccines Work
mRNA Vaccines
For Healthcare Workers
Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine: General information, schedule and administration overview
Booster Doses
General information
- 2-dose series for initial vaccination
- mRNA vaccine
- Available under emergency use authorization (EUA) for ages 18+
Learn more about boosters and additional doses below. If you’re eligible for an additional dose, it’s recommended you receive the same manufacturer as your primary series. For booster doses, the CDC allows eligible people to choose which COVID-19 vaccine they receive.