The 4 Types of COVID-19 Vaccine – A Snapshot

There are four main types of vaccines currently approved, in approval or in trial in the MENA region in its fight against COVID-19. We bring you a summary of just what they are, how they differ, along with the advantages and disadvantages of each type.

Over the past month, a number of COVID-19 vaccines have been approved for general or emergency use in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Understandably, there remains confusion over which one to choose – for example, should it be based on technology? On which one has the most advantages? Or simply on the one a country’s government chooses?

We’re not here to tell you which type of vaccine to choose - that is, and should be, your own choice. However, what we can agree on is that all vaccines work by exposing the human body to particles or molecules that trigger an immune response, thus protecting the subject from future infection. The key difference between the four main types of vaccines is the method of exposure used.

Here are the key differences.