Side effects of Moderna vaccine revealed

Australia’s third vaccine option will soon hit our shores with a leading infectious diseases expert saying young people will reap the rewards.

Australia’s third vaccine option will soon hit our shores with a leading infectious diseases expert saying young people will reap the rewards.

The country’s medicines regulator, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), announced it had granted provisional approval to the Moderna vaccine for Australians aged 18 and over.

Its approval came after the federal government ordered 25 million doses with 10 million of these expected to arrive before Christmas.

A health worker prepares a dose of the Moderna vaccine against in Honduras. Picture: AFP

Infectious diseases expert Dr Peter Collignon said the US-made Moderna is very similar to the Pfizer vaccine.

“The only major difference between the two vaccines is that Moderna can be kept at minus 20 degrees rather than minus 70 like the Pfizer. It appears to have the same efficacy, similar side effects,” he told news.com.au.

Dr Collingnon added the influx of vaccines will help protect younger people who have largely been at risk during the pandemic.

“Currently any vaccine you can get is good. There is obviously the tiny risk of clotting with the AstraZeneca vaccine and that small risk grows the younger the person is,” he said.

“If you have a lot of vaccines, which we do not, you would prefer the Pfizer and Moderna vaccine for those under the age of 40 and give AstraZeneca to those who are older than that age.

“But there is a worldwide shortage so that is not going to happen for a while. Any vaccine that you can get is a good, safe vaccine.”

Vaccinating against Covid-19 is the only way for Australians to get their normal lives back, but as a nation we’re struggling.

News.com.au’s Our Best Shot campaign answers your questions about the Covid-19 vaccine rollout.

What is the Moderna vaccine?

The Moderna vaccine is known as mRNA technology which has been trialled in humans before the pandemic but hadn’t yet been approved for widespread use.

The US Centre for Disease Control and prevention found in people aged 18-years and older, the Moderna vaccine was 94.1 per cent effective at preventing Covid in people who had received two doses.

The doses must be administered 28 days apart.

While similar to the Pfizer vaccine they are slightly different with Modern’s dose containing 100 micrograms of the vaccine while Pfizer contains 30 micrograms.

What are the side effects of the Moderna vaccine?

The side effects of the Moderna vaccine are similar to that of the Pfizer vaccine.

These include pain in the arm where the shot is delivered, and things like tiredness, muscle pain, fever and chills.

There are also extremely rare reports of myocarditis which is where there is minor swelling of the heart.

Huge crowds at Sydney’s mass vaccination hubPicture: NCA NewsWire/Joel Carrett

Sydneysiders are listening to the health advice and getting vaccinated. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Joel Carrett

Is the Moderna vaccine effective?

More than 140 million doses of the Moderna vaccine has been issued in the United States of America to great effect.

Moderna said the vaccine is 93 per cent effective through six months of the second dose – this is hardly any change from the 94 per cent efficiency reported in the original clinical trial.

The vaccine is also 100 per cent effective in preventing death against Covid-19. However, that data does not include information about the Delta variant.