Are egg products used in COVID-19 vaccines?
The COVID-19 vaccines currently authorized by the FDA are not manufactured using egg products or egg culture. See COVID-19 vaccines for more information.
Can you get the COVID-19 vaccine if you have an allergic reaction?
If you have had an immediate allergic reaction (a reaction that started within 4 hours) to any vaccine other than a COVID-19 vaccine or any injectable therapy, you may still be able to get a COVID-19 vaccine. However, your doctor may refer you to an allergy and immunology specialist for additional care or advice.
What are the ingredients in the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine?
The Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine includes the following ingredients: recombinant, replication-incompetent adenovirus type 26 expressing the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, citric acid monohydrate, trisodium citrate dihydrate, ethanol, 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HBCD), polysorbate-80, sodium chloride.
Does the COVID-19 vaccine have a live virus?
None of the vaccines authorized for use in the U.S. contain a live virus. mRNA and viral vector vaccines are the two types of currently authorized COVID-19 vaccines available.
Should I take an antihistamine before the COVID-19 vaccine?
It is also not recommended to take antihistamines before getting a COVID-19 vaccine to try to prevent allergic reactions.
How soon does anaphylaxis happen after COVID-19 vaccine?
Symptoms of anaphylaxis often occur within 15-30 minutes of vaccination, though it can sometimes take several hours for symptoms to appear.
Does Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine have egg by product in it?
No food proteins like eggs or egg products, gluten, peanuts, tree nuts, nut products, or any nut byproducts (COVID-19 vaccines are not manufactured in facilities that produce food products).
What are the some of the common side effects of the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine?
Pain, redness, or swelling where the injection was given; headache; muscle or joint pain; fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher; chills; upset stomach, throwing up, or diarrhea; swollen or tender glands; or feeling tired or unwell. Most side effects have been mild.
Are there preservatives in Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine?
The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine (COMIRNATY) has: No preservatives like thimerosal or mercury or any other preservatives.
Is there a live virus in the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines?
The mRNA vaccines do not contain any live virus. Instead, they work by teaching our cells to make a harmless piece of a “spike protein,” which is found on the surface of the virus that causes COVID-19. After making the protein piece, cells display it on their surface.
Is it normal to feel sick after having the COVID-19 vaccine?
It is normal to feel sick after getting a COVID-19 vaccine.
Will a COVID-19 vaccine alter my DNA?
No. COVID-19 mRNA vaccines do not change or interact with your DNA in any way.
Horses
Guinea Pigs
- There's a reason common vernacular refers to test subjects and volunteers as "guinea pigs" - they are often used for vaccine production and testing, with colonies bred specifically for scientific research. They have been proven as great models for bacterial infections like clostridium chauvoei, a soil-borne bacteria that causes blackleg in humans and animals. Guinea pigs were al…
Primates
- Monkeys have been used in scientific research for decades, often bred in captivity for the production and testing of vaccines. The development of a vaccine against Zika virus, which is now in phase two of clinical trials, was created using cynomolgus monkeys. Bred in captivity, these monkeys had fewer viral infections than captured primates and provided clean cell cultures that …
Mice
- Mice have long been used for medical and other research. Currently, the small rodents are being used as subjects in an immunotherapy-based cancer vaccine, which involves injecting two immune-boosting agents directly into tumors in mice. So far it has been shown to kill 97% of those tumors, even after they have metastasized and moved elsewhere in the body. It has worke…
Rats
- Like mice, rats are often used to test medical breakthroughs and have been the subjects for cancer treatments for years. Of note, rats were used in the development of a new vaccine called SurVaxM by scientists at Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, NY, which uses the animal's own immune system to fight disease by boosting its ability to kill tumor cells containing the prot…
Sheep
- Sheep are often used as large-scale model animals in vaccine-testing due to low cost. They have been used in studies on mucosal immunization against antigens and pathogens that enter through mucous membranes that line the mouth, nose, eyelids, trachea (windpipe), lungs, stomach, intestines, ureters, urethra, and bladder. Lambs vaccinated with a formalin-inactivated …
Pigs
- Pigs have been deemed one of the most appropriate and reliable models for testing human vaccines because their physiology and immune systems are very similar - nearly eight times as close as mice - with organs like kidneys and liver very similar, proportionally, in size and function to humans. Pigs also have tonsils and their skin's dermis-to-epidermis ratio is similar to humans…
Calves and Cattle
- Like sheep, cattle have been used as models for HRSV vaccines, as the human version of the virus closely resembles the bovine strain (BRSV) - both cause respiratory tract infections in their young. Human and bovine T-cells recognize similar proteins in HRSV and BRS, meaning potential vaccines can be tested in cattle. Cattle are also commonly used a...
Vaccines
Vaccine Production
Animal Products Used to Make Vaccines
Animal Products Added to Vaccines
- Highly processed derivatives of animal materials are occasionally used in the finished vaccine product. These derivatives are called excipients, and perform an important function in ensuring the vaccine is safe and effective. When an animal product is used as a constituent of vaccine, it will be listed in the SmPC. Some chemicals – called adjuvants...
Why We Can’T Remove The Animal Content of Vaccines
Summary
Further Information