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Which Shot is Most Effective & Cheapest


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    I was curious how the vaccines compare from more of a cost/effectiveness angle. As of now we've really only had the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines in control of vaccine distribution. We've only just now gotten the new numbers from Johnson & Johnson that aren't as promising as we'd hoped, but seems to be a good vaccine either way. The new numbers that came in from J&J got me thinking what the prices were for each vaccine and how it compares to it's efficiency, so I did a little digging and found the numbers below. They all seem to be priced understandably to their benefits.

    The Moderna is priced just a bit above the Pfizer vaccine, even though they both share the same 95% efficacy. I assume it's priced a bit more due to it doesn't require the sub-zero storage that Pfizer does. What's more interesting to me is the J&J vaccine is half the price of the other two, along with a lowered efficacy rate. I understand why, it just stands out to me.

    Pfizer

    Efficacy 95%

    Price Per Dose $19.50 (for first 100 million doses. That's a whole different story that hopefully gets worked out soon)

    Moderna

    Efficacy 95%

    Price Per Dose $24 - $37

    * New Johnson & Johnson Numbers

    Efficacy 72% (in U.S.), 66% administered overall, and 85% severe disease prevention.

    Price Per Dose $10

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    Wow, thanks for the info. It certainly looks like you get what you pay for when comparing J&J with the others. At least on paper anyway.
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    Nice. Is interesting the corollary. But I don't think J&J is cheaper because it's less effective. It's cheaper because its older tech and doesn't require the same kind of storage and refrigeration that the other two do. So I think its tied more to how much it costs to produce and distribute instead.

    Either way, that's good info to know. So is that the price the govt is paying per shot? The shots are free to get right? Or do you need insurance for them to be free? Haven't looked that up yet.

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    Effective and cheap are both good, but I think the most important issue is storage capability and the ability to be mass produced as quickly as possible. When it comes to that, J&J is going to have the upper hand in the long run.

    One dose, simple refrigeration, and cheap. Check, check, AND check.