Frequently Asked Questions
Can’t find the answer to your question? Give us a call at 1-866-MODERNA (1‑866‑663‑3762).
General
Who is Moderna?
Moderna, Inc. is a biotechnology company founded in 2010 and headquartered in Cambridge, MA. We believe messenger RNA (mRNA) can be used to create a new category of medicines and vaccines. Every cell in the body uses mRNA to provide instructions to make the proteins that drive many aspects of biology, including human health and disease. That is why we are working to create a class of medicines and vaccines based on mRNA for a wide range of diseases.
If you would like to learn more about Moderna, you can visit https://www.modernatx.com/about-us.
What is an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA), and how was it granted?
An Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) is a mechanism to facilitate the availability and use of medical countermeasures, including vaccines, during public health emergencies, such as the current COVID‑19 pandemic.
Under an EUA, FDA may allow the use of unapproved medical products, or unapproved uses of approved medical products, in an emergency to diagnose, treat, or prevent serious or life-threatening diseases or conditions when certain statutory criteria have been met, including when there are no adequate, approved, and available alternatives. Taking into consideration input from the FDA, manufacturers decide whether and when to submit an EUA request to FDA. Once submitted, FDA will evaluate an EUA request and determine whether the relevant statutory criteria are met, taking into account the totality of the scientific evidence about the vaccine that is available to FDA.
Cost & Availability
Who can get the vaccine?
The FDA has authorized the emergency use of the Moderna COVID‑19 Vaccine in individuals 18 years of age and older. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has provided recommendations on vaccine eligibility based on a number of factors, including risk of exposure, risk of severe illness, and/or age.
Find out more about who can get the vaccine from the CDC or by contacting your state, territorial, tribal, or local health department.
Who is eligible for a 3rd dose of the vaccine?
If you are immunocompromised, you may receive a 3rd primary series dose of the Moderna COVID‑19 Vaccine. This would be given at least 1 month after the second dose. Please consult with your healthcare provider to determine whether or not you are eligible as an immunocompromised patient. The third dose may still not provide full immunity to COVID-19 in people who are immunocompromised, and you should continue to maintain physical precautions to help prevent COVID-19. In addition, your close contacts should be vaccinated as appropriate.
Who is eligible for a booster dose?
A single booster dose of the Moderna COVID‑19 Vaccine may be administered at least 6 months after completion of a primary series of the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine to individuals 18 years of age or older.
A single booster dose of the Moderna COVID‑19 Vaccine may be administered to individuals who have completed primary vaccination with a different authorized or approved COVID‑19 vaccine. Please check with your healthcare provider regarding timing of the booster dose.
Where can I get the vaccine?
You can get the most current information about the location of vaccine centers for primary series and booster dose vaccinations in your area from your state, territorial, tribal, or local health authorities or from the Vaccines.gov.
Is the vaccine free?
Yes! At this time, vaccination providers cannot charge you for a vaccine dose and you cannot be charged an out-of-pocket vaccine administration fee or any other fee if only receiving a COVID‑19 vaccination.
Dosing
Will the vaccine still work if I get one dose only?
The Moderna COVID‑19 Vaccine is administered as a 2-dose primary series, one month apart. A third primary series dose may be administered at least one month after the second dose to individuals who are determined to have certain kinds of immunocompromise.
Based on an ongoing clinical trial, the Moderna COVID‑19 Vaccine has been shown to prevent the majority of patients from getting COVID‑19 after two doses (0.5 mL each) given one month apart. The duration of protection against COVID‑19 is currently unknown.
How much time should there be between doses? What's the most and least amount of time?
Primary Series: The Moderna COVID‑19 Vaccine is administered as a 2-dose series, one month apart. A third primary series dose may be administered at least one month after the second dose to individuals who are determined to have certain kinds of immunocompromise.
Individuals 18 years of age and older may be able to receive a single booster dose at least 6 months after completing the primary series.
Can my vaccine provider reduce the number of doses, change the dose, or mix and match different vaccines in order to vaccinate more people against COVID‑19?
A single booster dose of the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine may be administered to individuals 18 years of age and older who have completed primary vaccination with a different authorized or approved COVID-19 vaccine. Please check with your healthcare provider regarding timing of the booster dose.
Vaccination
How is the Moderna COVID‑19 Vaccine given?
The Moderna COVID‑19 Vaccine will be given to you as an injection into the muscle, typically in the upper arm.
Primary Series: The Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine is administered as a 2-dose series, one month apart. A third primary series dose may be administered at least one month after the second dose to individuals who are determined to have certain kinds of immunocompromise.
A single booster dose of the Moderna COVID‑19 Vaccine may be administered at least 6 months after completion of a primary series of the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine to individuals 18 years of age or older.
A single booster dose of the Moderna COVID‑19 Vaccine may be administered to individuals who have completed primary vaccination with a different authorized or approved COVID-19 vaccine. Please check with your healthcare provider regarding timing of the booster dose.
Learn more about what to expect when you get vaccinated.
What are the benefits of the Moderna COVID‑19 Vaccine?
Based on an ongoing clinical trial, the Moderna COVID‑19 Vaccine has been shown to prevent the majority of patients from getting COVID‑19 following two doses (0.5 mL each) given one month apart. The duration of protection against COVID‑19 is currently unknown. The Moderna COVID‑19 Vaccine may not protect everyone.
Where is the vaccine made?
The Moderna COVID‑19 Vaccine that is available in the US is being produced by Moderna and by manufacturing partners at facilities located in the US.
Get more information on Moderna's technology, manufacturing capability, and partnerships at the Moderna website.
Does the vaccine contain preservatives, antibiotics or products from human or animal origin?
No. The Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine does not contain any preservatives, antibiotics, or products of human or animal origin. Also, the vial stoppers are not made with natural rubber latex.
Will the Moderna COVID‑19 Vaccine give me COVID‑19?
No. The Moderna COVID‑19 Vaccine does not contain SARS‑CoV‑2, the virus that causes COVID‑19, and cannot give you COVID-19.
What should I tell my doctor before I get the vaccine?
Tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions, including if you:
- Have any allergies
- Have had myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) or pericarditis (inflammation of the lining outside the heart)
- Have a fever
- Have a bleeding disorder or are on a blood thinner
- Are immunocompromised or are on a medicine that affects your immune system
- Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant
- Are breastfeeding
- Have received another COVID‑19 vaccine
- Have ever fainted in association with an injection
Can I get the vaccine if my immune system is compromised?
The Moderna COVID‑19 Vaccine may not work as well in people who are immunocompromised or are on a medicine that affects the immune system.
If you are immunocompromised, you may receive a third primary series dose of the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine. This would be given at least 1 month after the second dose. Please consult with your healthcare provider to determine whether or not you are eligible as an immunocompromised patient. The third dose may still not provide full immunity to COVID-19 in people who are immunocompromised, and you should continue to maintain physical precautions to help prevent COVID-19. In addition, your close contacts should be vaccinated as appropriate.
What if I’m pregnant or breastfeeding?
If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, talk to your doctor first before receiving the vaccination.
What are the possible side effects?
There is a remote chance that the Moderna COVID‑19 Vaccine could cause a severe allergic reaction. A severe allergic reaction would usually occur within a few minutes to one hour after getting a dose of the Moderna COVID‑19 Vaccine. For this reason, your vaccination provider may ask you to stay at the place where you received your vaccine for monitoring after vaccination. Signs of a severe allergic reaction can include:
- Difficulty breathing
- Swelling of your face and throat
- A fast heartbeat
- A bad rash all over your body
- Dizziness and weakness
Myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) and pericarditis (inflammation of the lining outside the heart) have occurred in some people who have received the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine, more commonly in males under 40 years of age than among females and older males. In most of these people, symptoms began within a few days following receipt of the second dose of the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine. The chance of having this occur is very low. You should seek medical attention right away if you have any of the following symptoms after receiving the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine:
- Chest pain
- Shortness of breath
- Feelings of having a fast-beating, fluttering, or pounding heart
Side effects that have been reported in clinical trials with the Moderna COVID‑19 Vaccine include:
- Injection site reactions: pain, tenderness and swelling of the lymph nodes in the same arm of the injection, swelling (hardness), and redness
- General side effects: fatigue, headache, muscle pain, joint pain, chills, nausea and vomiting, fever, and rash
Side effects that have been reported during post-authorization use of the Moderna COVID‑19 Vaccine include:
- Severe allergic reactions
- Myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle)
- Pericarditis (inflammation of the lining outside the heart)
- Fainting in association with injection of the vaccine
These may not be all the possible side effects of the Moderna COVID‑19 Vaccine. Serious and unexpected side effects may occur. The Moderna COVID‑19 Vaccine is still being studied in clinical trials.
What should I do if I experience side effects?
- If you experience a severe allergic reaction, call 911 or go to the nearest hospital.
- Call your vaccination provider or your doctor if you have any side effects that bother you or that do not go away.
- Report vaccine side effects to FDA/CDC Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS). The VAERS toll-free number is 1-800-822-7967. You can also report online at https://vaers.hhs.gov/reportevent.html. Please include “Moderna COVID‑19 Vaccine EUA” in the first line of box 18 of the report form.
- In addition, you can report side effects to Moderna at 1-866-MODERNA (1-866-663-3762).
Where can I learn more?
If you have more questions, be sure to talk to your vaccination provider or your doctor. You can also reach out to your state, territorial, tribal, or local health department, especially with any questions about vaccine availability. You can also find more information online at the following websites:
About Moderna
1‑866‑MODERNA (1‑866‑663‑3762)
24 hours, 7 days a week
MedInfo@modernatx.com
Do I still have to wear a mask and socially distance after the primary series? After the booster?
Everyone, including people who have completed their primary series of the vaccine and people who have received a booster dose, should continue to follow the CDC's recommendations for wearing masks, washing hands, and social distancing to help stop the spread of the virus.