The development of a COVID-19 vaccine is something we have had our eyes on since the beginning. There are a few COVID vaccines that will be available nationwide, however, there are some important things we want you to remember about the vaccination process.
Will Sona Pharmacy have the COVID vaccine?
We anticipate being involved in Phase 2. Operation Warp Speed, which is the US Department of Health and Human Services’ plan to produce and deliver safe and effective coronavirus vaccines to the US population.
Do you know when you will have the vaccine available?
No, we do not yet have a date but know that it will be early in 2021. We will keep you informed of an official date as more information is available.
How is the COVID vaccine administered?
The COVID vaccine will be administered in the same fashion as your annual flu shot, which is intramuscularly, or in your upper arm. However, you will have to receive 2 doses (see details below) to be fully protected.
Which COVID vaccine will Sona Pharmacy get?
There are 2 main vaccines that are showing great data in terms of how safe and effective they are. One is made by Moderna and the other is made by Pfizer. As pharmacists, we evaluate the safety and effectiveness of all medications and vaccines before we recommend them to our patients and community. There are other vaccines currently undergoing rigorous trials and showing promising results and could be on the market soon as well.
At this time, we cannot guarantee which vaccine we will receive to distribute. Below is a table comparing 2 of the leading vaccines, Moderna’s vaccine and Pfizer/BioNTech’s vaccine.
| Manufacturer | Moderna | Pfizer/BioNTech |
| Effective rate | 94.5% | 95% |
| Doses | 2 doses that are 28 days apart | 2 doses that are 21 days apart |
| Total number of participants in the trial | 30,000 | 43,661 |
| Number of infections in vaccinated patients | 5 (0.017%) | 8 (0.018%) |
| Number of infections in non-vaccinated patients | 90 (0.30%) | 162 (0.37%) |
| Storage requirements | 2-8ºC (refrigerated for 30 days) | -70ºC (ultra-deep freeze) |
| Production capacity | 20 million doses | 50 million doses |
How do the various COVID vaccines work?
The Centers for Disease Control do a great job explaining how this vaccine will work. Unlike the flu vaccine that put inactivated strains of the influenza viruses into our bodies to remember and build antibodies against, the COVID vaccine teaches our cells how to make the proteins (via messenger RNA or mRNA) that trigger an immune response. These mRNAs produce antibodies that will, in turn, protect us if coronavirus does enter our body. The benefit of getting the COVID vaccine is you can gain protection against COVID-19 without having to be exposed to the virus.
How do I know if I qualify for one?
More information will be released in the next few months from the government about different demographics that will initially qualify to receive the vaccine first. We will also update you as more information unrolls regarding scheduling appointments, follow-up appointments, and how we will get the vaccine to you.
