Vaccines

React19

React19 is a science-based non-profit offering financial, physical, and emotional support for those suffering from long-term COVID-19 vaccine adverse events globally. Our mission is to bring healing to the moms, dads, friends, and loved ones who are facing life-altering side effects from their COVID-19 vaccine. We build bridges between patients and research institutions in order to develop a better understanding of our vaccine complications.

VAERS

VAERS is a passive reporting system, meaning it relies on individuals to send in reports of their experiences to CDC and FDA. VAERS is not designed to determine if a vaccine caused a health problem, but is especially useful for detecting unusual or unexpected patterns of adverse event reporting that might indicate a possible safety problem with a vaccine.

The ‘Kraken’ COVID variant taking hold in the U.S. Here’s how many vaccine shots there are—and what experts recommend to protect yourself

Four types of COVID-19 vaccines have been made available in the U.S: Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, Novavax, and Johnson & Johnson. Johnson & Johnson’s is a single-dose vaccine, but all others are a two-dose regimen. These doses are part of the primary, or initial, series of vaccines against the virus.

Yes, you can be vaccinated and still get Covid-19. But don’t panic

We’re only talking about Covid-19 vaccine breakthrough infections because the pandemic is still raging.

Annual COVID Shots Mean We Can Stop Counting

If we’re going to shift our focus to timing shots, instead of counting them, we’ll have to schedule our shots smartly. Several prominent figures have already come out and said that yearly doses are a top choice.

Can We Develop a Covid-19 Vaccine That Lasts?

New variants have weakened the protection of the current shots, which require unpopular boosters. Scientists and the White House are exploring options for more durable protection, but success could take years.

The Scientist Who Saved the World

Dr. Katalin Karikó devoted her career to understanding—and evangelizing—the possibilities of mRNA. When the pandemic struck, her unheralded work became the basis for the world’s most effective vaccines.

Vaccines Alone Are Not Enough to Beat COVID

It could take years to immunize everyone, so we need to work on discovering new treatments as well—and fast.

Where’s the next generation of COVID-19 shots?

The first step for the future of COVID-19 vaccines is to play catch-up with the recent past.

Why Covid-19 vaccines are a freaking miracle

You have witnessed — and you are a beneficiary of — a freaking miracle. That miracle is the development, testing, manufacturing, and global distribution of Covid vaccines.

The Covid-19 vaccines are still working

Despite the delta surge, the vaccines have held up well.

A COVID-19 vaccine may come without a needle, the latest vaccine to protect without jabbing

Vaccines are traditionally administered with a needle, but this isn’t the only way. For example, certain vaccines can be delivered orally, as a drop on the tongue, or via a jet-like device. Vaccines that appear particularly suitable to needle-free technology are DNA-based ones, including a COVID-19 vaccine being developed in Australia.

A doctor on 9 things that could go wrong with the new vaccines

As a physician, clinical researcher, and epidemiologist, I am thrilled with the vaccine data so far. The 95 percent efficacy of the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna mRNA vaccines is unprecedented and better than any of us hoped for. But we need to be careful. We need to temper our enthusiasm with the acknowledgment that the vaccine is a weapon we may not be fully prepared to wield. A lot can still go wrong.

A new COVID vaccine is coming. Will it sway anti-vaxxers?

Experts hope the new COVID vaccine, which uses older biotechnology, could help the unvaccinated come around.

All Your Questions About The COVID-19 Vaccine And Facial Fillers, Answered

Primarily, it's facial swelling and redness of the area. Those are the most common and might last a few days.

Are Covid Vaccines Riskier Than Advertised?

Some scientists have raised concerns that the safety risks of Covid-19 vaccines have been underestimated. But the politics of vaccination has relegated their concerns to the outskirts of scientific thinking—for now.

As Virus Grows Stealthier, Vaccine Makers Reconsider Battle Plans

Vaccines by Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech effectively protect recipients. But in a worrying sign, they are slightly less effective against a variant found in South Africa.

Can Vaccines Stop Variants? Here's What We Know So Far

Because T cells get involved after an infection is underway, O'Brien said this suggests that even if a particular vaccine is not good at preventing infection by a variant, it may at least still end up substantially reducing the infection's severity.

Comparing the Covid-19 vaccines developed by Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson

The J&J vaccine uses a different approach to instruct human cells to make the SARS-2 spike protein, which then triggers an immune response. It is what’s known as a viral vectored vaccine. A harmless adenovirus — from a large family of viruses, some of which cause common colds — has been engineered to carry the genetic code for the SARS-2 spike protein. Once the adenovirus enters cells, they use that code to make spike proteins. J&J employs this same approach to make an Ebola vaccine that has been authorized for use by the European Medicines Agency.

Comparing the COVID-19 Vaccines: How Are They Different?

As the SARS-CoV-2 virus mutates and new variants emerge, it’s important to keep up with how well the vaccines are performing, but it’s also a daunting task, given the flood of information (and misinformation) coming at us from so many directions. We mapped out a comparison of the most prominent COVID-19 vaccines.

Coronavirus Vaccine FAQs: What's Up With Side Effects?

Keep in mind, the side effects we're discussing here aren't the ones so serious they cause entire vaccination sites to shut down or lead to further studies on the viability of the vaccine as a whole. So, we're not going to discuss the more serious aftereffects, for instance, that have led to a temporary halt to the administration of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine in Colorado recently – when more than 26 individuals faced "adverse reactions" to inoculation, including fainting. Or the concern about blood clots and AstraZeneca. It's more the everyday things...

Coronavirus vaccine: reasons to be optimistic

Here are some reasons to be optimistic. One, this virus can be cured. Unlike some viruses such as HIV that embed their genome in our own and make fresh copies of themselves after immune elimination, we know that SARS-CoV-2 is unable to persist in this way.

Could the Covid Vaccine (and Others) Prevent Alzheimer’s?

There’s growing evidence that inoculation confers significant protective benefits.

Covid vaccine fertility: Does the Covid vaccine affect your chances of getting pregnant?

"If you are advised to have the vaccine because you are clinically vulnerable or a healthcare worker, you are advised to have the vaccine and wait three months after the first dose before trying to conceive,"...

COVID vaccine hesitancy is showing up in unexpected places

The uniting thread is that vaccine hesitancy tends to have staying power in tight-knit communities where people can reinforce one another’s beliefs. What someone accepts as evidence is individual, Parrish-Sprowl says, but it’s also shaped by the people around them.

Covid-19 Vaccine Makers Take Aim at Dangerous New Strains

Pfizer, Moderna and J&J are among the companies working on new vaccines that would protect against the South Africa strain better than current shots do.

Covid-19 vaccine side-effects: Here’s everything you need to know

As growing numbers of younger adults get vaccinated against covid-19, social media is awash with conversation about side effects, which appear to be more common in young people. What kind of side effects can people expect...

Explainer: How clinical trials test COVID-19 vaccines

Human testing in clinical trials is divided into three phases. Ensuring the safety of a vaccine is the prime concern through all phases of clinical trials. Vaccine efficacy is evaluated in different ways across the trial spectrum. Early-phase trials look for the production of antibodies against the virus, while late-phase trials evaluate whether the vaccine in fact prevents people from getting sick.

Here’s what we know about the risks of serious side effects from COVID-19 vaccines

Risks of rare allergic reactions, blood clots and maybe heart problems don’t outweigh benefits.

How Nine Covid-19 Vaccines Work

Researchers are testing 64 coronavirus vaccines in clinical trials on humans. Here are explanations about how nine of the leading vaccines work.

Inhalable and nasal vaccines could offer more durable protection than regular shots

So we need to consider a vaccine strategy that will provide longer-term immunity. A new kid on the block – mucosal vaccines – could offer promise on this front.

Inside the race to tweak covid-19 vaccines and stay ahead of mutations

IT IS looking likely that covid-19 vaccines will have to be updated in the coming months to remain effective against new variants of the coronavirus. Several vaccine manufacturers have confirmed that they are already working on new versions of their vaccines to make sure they remain effective. But what does updating the vaccines involve and how long will it take? At least two vaccines are less effective against the B.1.351 variant of coronavirus that was first identified in South Africa.

Kati Kariko Helped Shield the World From the Coronavirus

Collaborating with devoted colleagues, Dr. Kariko laid the groundwork for the mRNA vaccines turning the tide of the pandemic.

Mixing and matching COVID-19 vaccines could provide superior immunity

It’s possible that this approach would be particularly beneficial for immunocompromised people. “We do know that a third boost of an mRNA vaccine does seem to pick up a big percentage of people who didn’t respond the first time around,” Lyke says. “But it’s an interesting question as to whether giving them a Johnson & Johnson dose would be an even better immune trigger.”

Pregnant People Haven't Been Part Of Vaccine Trials. Should They Get The Vaccine?

"Knowing what I know about the [mRNA vaccine's] mechanism of action, I would anticipate that this vaccine should be very safe in pregnancy," Jamieson says.

Researchers Debate Infecting People on Purpose to Test Coronavirus Vaccines

The technique, called a human challenge trial, has been used to evaluate other vaccines.

Scientists Race To Develop Next Generation Of COVID Vaccines

The three COVID-19 vaccines available in the United States are safe and effective and were made in record time. But they aren't ideal. An ideal vaccine — besides being safe and effective — would have a few other desirable characteristics, says Deborah Fuller, a vaccine researcher at the University of Washington. Such a vaccine would be "administered in a single shot, be room temperature stable, work in all demographics and, even pushed beyond that, ideally be self-administered," she says.

Scientists Test a New Covid-19 Vaccine Question: Mixing Different Doses

Researchers begin tests to study effects of following an initial dose with a booster from another manufacturer.

Six months of COVID vaccines: what 1.7 billion doses have taught scientists

At a pivotal moment in the pandemic, Nature explores key questions about the vaccines that countries are racing to deliver while viral variants spread around the globe.

Suspicions grow that nanoparticles in Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine trigger rare allergic reactions

Some allergists and immunologists believe a small number of people previously exposed to PEG may have high levels of antibodies against PEG, putting them at risk of an anaphylactic reaction to the vaccine.

The Covid-19 vaccine side effects that specifically affect women

Since Covid-19 vaccine administration began around the world, side effects have been more severe in women. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), during the first month of vaccine administration, 62% of the doses in the US were given to women, but 71% of the side effects were reported by them. One explanation is that estrogen produces a stronger immune reaction, intensifying the overall symptoms felt after the vaccine. Similar effects have been observed with other vaccines, too.

The Covid-19 vaccines are a marvel of science. Here’s how we can make the best use of them

In an ideal world, everyone would want to be vaccinated against Covid and there’d be enough vaccine to do that job. We don’t live in that world.

The COVID-19 Virus Is Mutating. What Does That Mean for Vaccines?

As we enter the second year of living with the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, the virus is celebrating its invasion of the world’s population with yet more mutated forms that help it to spread more easily from person to person.

The ethics of ‘vaccine passports’ and a moral case for global vaccine equity

COVID-19 vaccinations are expanding…To the point where the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says it's safe for vaccinated people to travel. But so-called "vaccine passports," for those who have received them are sparking debate over vaccine equity. Many developing countries are still struggling to obtain the vaccine.

The evidence that Covid-19 vaccines are safe and effective in pregnancy is growing

People who are pregnant or breastfeeding in the US could choose to get the vaccines, or wait until more data comes out this spring.

The extraordinary success of Covid-19 vaccines, in two charts

Deaths tell one story of the pandemic. The lives saved tell another.

The mRNA Vaccines Are Extraordinary, but Novavax Is Even Better

Persistent hype around mRNA vaccine technology is now distracting us from other ways to end the pandemic. But here’s what we know today, based on information that we have right now: Among several wonderful options, the more old-school vaccine from Novavax combines ease of manufacture with high efficacy and lower side effects. For the moment, it’s the best COVID-19 vaccine we have.

The next leap in coronavirus vaccine development could be a nasal spray

As the virus evolves, some scientists are calling for a change in vaccine strategy.

The Second COVID-19 Shot Is a Rude Reawakening for Immune Cells

Side effects are just a sign that protection is kicking in as it should.

The story of mRNA: How a once-dismissed idea became a leading technology in the Covid vaccine race

It is called synthetic messenger RNA, an ingenious variation on the natural substance that directs protein production in cells throughout the body. Its prospects have swung billions of dollars on the stock market, made and imperiled scientific careers, and fueled hopes that it could be a breakthrough that allows society to return to normalcy after months living in fear.

Vaccine rumours debunked: Microchips, 'altered DNA' and more

We've looked into some of the most widely shared false vaccine claims - everything from alleged plots to put microchips into people to the supposed re-engineering of our genetic code.

Vaccines seem to work well against coronavirus variants. It’s also complicated

The question about how Covid-19 vaccines stand up to coronavirus variants often gets distilled to: Do they work? The simplest answer is yes. People who’ve received one of the highly powerful vaccines don’t need to be too worried about the variants for now,

Vaccines Take a While to Kick In. Experts Say That Means the Body Is Doing Its Job

Reports of Covid-19 cases that appeared shortly after a single shot of a two-dose vaccine shouldn’t cause concern.

What the Vaccine’s Side Effects Feel Like

The COVID-19 vaccine will make some people feel sick. But they’re not—that’s the immune system doing its job.

What’s the Use of a Pretty Good Vaccine?

New vaccines are falling short of the spectacular expectations set by Pfizer and Moderna. The world still needs them.

Which COVID-19 vaccine is the best?

The answer is straightforward: All three vaccines that are currently available have been shown to be safe and effective. In other words, it does not matter which approved vaccine a person gets, and any option is far better than no shot at all.

Which Vaccine?

Making sense of the differences between COVID-19 vaccines, for public and personal health.

Why comparing Covid-19 vaccine efficacy numbers can be misleading

The best Covid-19 vaccine for you is most likely still the first one you can get.

Why scientists are developing inhaled Covid-19 vaccines

Intramuscular injections aren’t necessarily the best mode of delivery for vaccines—they’re just the most common. Pharmaceutical companies likely chose them for the first vaccine candidates because they’re a tried-and-true method of delivering antigens, tiny molecules that jump start the immune system’s antibody production, and speed was paramount.

Why Trump taking credit for the Covid-19 vaccines could be a good thing

There’s so much about the US response to the pandemic that has been botched. We failed on testing early and then failed to scale it up. We failed on contact tracing and on reopening many of our communities safely. But we haven’t screwed up a vaccine campaign yet. There’s still time to get it right. Trump endorsing a vaccine that’s shown to be safe and effective is a decent start — even if it comes with a heap of undue boasting.

Winning Trust for a Vaccine Means Confronting Medical Racism

The US has a long history of abusing minorities for pharmaceutical profit. Messaging for a Covid-19 inoculation will have to overcome that past.

Without A Vaccine, Herd Immunity Won’t Save Us

A number of variables can affect when herd immunity is reached — and what it costs to get there — and they vary depending on the disease. How infectious is the disease? How deadly is it? And how long do people stay immune once they’ve gotten it?

Yes, We Have COVID-19 Vaccines That Are 95% Effective. But That Doesn’t Mean the End of the Pandemic is Near

Only by vaccinating millions of people, and monitoring how their immune systems react, will experts get a better handle on what it takes to extinguish COVID-19 or at least make it much more difficult for it to spread.

The Covid Virus Keeps Evolving. Why Haven't Vaccines?

Updating the shots to adapt to rapidly changing variants is easier said than done, even with new mRNA technology.

4 things about mRNA COVID vaccines researchers still want to find out

Such mRNA vaccines have many benefits. They are quick to design, so once the manufacturing platform is set up, mRNA vaccines can be designed to target different viruses, or variants, very quickly. The vaccine manufacturing is also fully synthetic, and doesn’t rely on living cells like chicken eggs, or cultured cell lines. So this technology is here to stay. However, there are still issues we need to improve on to help make mRNA vaccines become more practical and affordable for the entire world, not just first-world countries. Here are four areas mRNA vaccine researchers are working on.

Vaccine Tracker

FasterCures, a center of the Milken Institute, is currently tracking the development of treatments and vaccines for COVID-19 (coronavirus). This tracker contains an aggregation of publicly-available information from validated sources.

CDC

Now that there are authorized and recommended vaccines to prevent COVID-19...