• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Pentagon accuses Alibaba, Baidu and BYD, three of China's biggest companies, of supporting the Chinese military

2

'We are rapidly running out of time': Watchdog sounds Social Security alarm after 22% cut confirmed for 2032

3

Costco CEO Ron Vachris rose from forklift driver to the C-suite without a college degree: ‘Don’t chase a title’ is the career advice that got him there

1

Pentagon accuses Alibaba, Baidu and BYD, three of China's biggest companies, of supporting the Chinese military

2

'We are rapidly running out of time': Watchdog sounds Social Security alarm after 22% cut confirmed for 2032

3

Costco CEO Ron Vachris rose from forklift driver to the C-suite without a college degree: ‘Don’t chase a title’ is the career advice that got him there
HealthCOVID-19 vaccines

What we know about which COVID vaccine you’ll receive

By
Sy Mukherjee
Sy Mukherjee
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Sy Mukherjee
Sy Mukherjee
Down Arrow Button Icon
January 12, 2021, 4:00 PM ET

There’s two vaccines on the market currently: one from Pfizer and partner BioNTech and another from the biotech Moderna. Both received Food and Drug Administration (FDA) emergency authorization at the end of 2020.

But the New Year has brought with it a slow rollout for those currently eligible to receive their coronavirus shots, such as frontline health care workers, their support staff, and nursing home residents. But for those able to get vaccinated, which one of the two vaccines one might receive will largely boil down to where you live, according to public health and life sciences experts.

It’s still too early to tell how things will shake out once production of these vaccines ramps up, but it’s reasonable to assume that bigger cities may have better access to the vaccine that requires colder storage—the vaccine from Pfizer.

While Pfizer’s and Moderna’s respective vaccines stem from the same cool science and have shown similar rates of effectiveness in clinical trials, they have different manufacturing processes, storage requirements, and dosing regimens, meaning that a strong distribution strategy is key.

“It’s much more complex in the United States than in many other countries,” says Ali Tinazli, the chief commercial officer at Fluxergy, a California-based diagnostics specialist that is developing a rapid response COVID testing system.

Tinazli believes that any strategy of distributing the Pfizer and Moderna COVID vaccines—and other potential vaccines that will receive authorization in the future such as AstraZeneca’s and Johnson & Johnson’s—in this country will require a layered approach, whereas in smaller nations there may be deals for one specific vaccine or another to suit their needs.

The U.S. strategy will almost certainly evolve as states and locales identify various bottlenecks and figure out their individual needs for doses. Pfizer’s vaccine, which requires ultracool storage, might be routed to large health systems with more sophisticated abilities such as the Mayo Clinic.

Moderna’s, which comes with more conventional cooling requirements, may be easier to dole out to rural areas, according to health experts. So location will almost certainly dictate which one you receive.

Last week, Moderna announced that it would boost its 2021 production quota for its COVID shot by 20% to 600 million doses, which would reach 300 million people globally since the product, like Pfizer’s, requires two doses. The U.S. is expected to have access to 200 million of those doses by June, according to the company.

As of Jan. 11, just 25.4 million doses, including both of the vaccines currently being used, had been distributed, and only about 9 million people had actually received the first dose of a vaccine in the U.S.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued updated guidance on the issue on distribution strategies on Jan. 7. A key element of the program is decidedly low-tech: a vaccination card or printout that tells you which vaccine you received and the date and location of the shot’s administration, alongside an electronic record copy. That would help prevent mixups between the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.

But at the end of the day, which one you receive will boil down to your zip code, local health care infrastructure, and the total number of available doses.

About the Author
By Sy Mukherjee
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Health

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Health

worm
HealthFood and drink
The pest that could devastate the American cattle industry was in Texas, but now it’s in New Mexico, too
By Jeffrey Collins and The Associated PressJune 9, 2026
1 day ago
A man put a drink in front of Trump
HealthFood and drink
A Biden-era study told Americans to drink less alcohol. The Trump admin ‘sidelined’ the research facing pressure from the alcohol lobby
By Laura Ungar, Ali Swenson and The Associated PressJune 9, 2026
1 day ago
Kaged Pre-Workout Review (2026): Athlete Approved
HealthDietary Supplements
Kaged Pre-Workout Review (2026): Athlete Approved
By Christina SnyderJune 8, 2026
2 days ago
Liquid IV Review (2026): Our Personal Experience
HealthDietary Supplements
Liquid IV Review (2026): Our Personal Experience
By Christina SnyderJune 8, 2026
2 days ago
Biotics 8 Review (2026): Expert Tested
HealthDietary Supplements
Biotics 8 Review (2026): Expert Tested
By Emily PharesJune 8, 2026
2 days ago
Jacked Factory Authentic Whey Protein Review (2026)
HealthDietary Supplements
Jacked Factory Authentic Whey Protein Review (2026)
By Emily PharesJune 8, 2026
2 days ago

Most Popular

Pentagon accuses Alibaba, Baidu and BYD, three of China's biggest companies, of supporting the Chinese military
Asia
Pentagon accuses Alibaba, Baidu and BYD, three of China's biggest companies, of supporting the Chinese military
By Kate O'Keeffe and BloombergJune 8, 2026
2 days ago
'We are rapidly running out of time': Watchdog sounds Social Security alarm after 22% cut confirmed for 2032
Economy
'We are rapidly running out of time': Watchdog sounds Social Security alarm after 22% cut confirmed for 2032
By Nick LichtenbergJune 9, 2026
1 day ago
Costco CEO Ron Vachris rose from forklift driver to the C-suite without a college degree: ‘Don’t chase a title’ is the career advice that got him there
Success
Costco CEO Ron Vachris rose from forklift driver to the C-suite without a college degree: ‘Don’t chase a title’ is the career advice that got him there
By Preston ForeJune 8, 2026
2 days ago
Current price of oil as of June 9, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 9, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 9, 2026
1 day ago
Wall Street dumped nearly $1 trillion in tech stocks by midday—then clawed it back and bought peanut butter and paint
Investing
Wall Street dumped nearly $1 trillion in tech stocks by midday—then clawed it back and bought peanut butter and paint
By Eva RoytburgJune 9, 2026
1 day ago
A ‘MAGA Warrior’ Texas ag chief is publicly blasting the USDA over a flesh-eating pest threatening America's beef supply
North America
A ‘MAGA Warrior’ Texas ag chief is publicly blasting the USDA over a flesh-eating pest threatening America's beef supply
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJune 10, 2026
15 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.