Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna's are both the mRNA vaccines. They don't work by changing your DNA, but instead get taken up by cells and carry instructions to produce the covid spike protein. Not producing the whole virus, just its defining feature. The idea is that the immune system will learn to kill cells producing and carrying that particular protein as being defective or malevolent instead of the default of 'probably harmless'. Being a jab in the arm, that should be mostly muscle cells that are replaced regularly anyways.
If it works as intended, and it's manufactured correctly and consistently, it could be safer and have fewer side effects than traditional vaccine techniques as it carries no self-replication capability. It's also cutting edge technology without long-term proof of safety. What happens if manufacturing goes bad or cold storage isn't maintained properly just isn't well known yet. Keeping it away from children and those who may still have children is just plain prudent. Especially since those age groups have astronomical survival rates already.
AstraZeneca's is a more traditional vaccine. They use a rhinovirus most commonly found in chimpanzees, but it's modified to also carry the spike protein. Common cold virus wearing a covid costume. It's more likely to have immediate side effects (put you on your ass for a couple days) since it's a real live virus, but have long term effects in line with a regular cold -- basically none. Still has room for manufacturing problems and unknown long-term side effects too, but being based on older approaches, it's much less likely.
Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna's are both the mRNA vaccines. They don't work by changing your DNA, but instead get taken up by cells and carry instructions to produce the covid spike protein. Not producing the whole virus, just its defining feature. The idea is that the immune system will learn to kill cells producing and carrying that particular protein as being defective or malevolent instead of the default of 'probably harmless'. Being a jab in the arm, that should be mostly muscle cells that are replaced regularly anyways.
If it works as intended, and it's manufactured correctly and consistently, it could be safer and have fewer side effects than traditional vaccine techniques as it carries no self-replication capability. It's also cutting edge technology without long-term proof of safety. What happens if manufacturing goes bad or cold storage isn't maintained properly just isn't well known yet. Keeping it away from children and those who may still have children is just plain prudent. Especially since those age groups have astronomical survival rates already.
AstraZeneca's is a more traditional vaccine. They use a rhinovirus most commonly found in chimpanzees, but it's modified to also carry the spike protein. Common cold virus wearing a covid costume. It's more likely to have immediate side effects (put you on your ass for a couple days) since it's a real live virus, but have long term effects in line with a regular cold -- basically none. Still has room for manufacturing problems and unknown long-term side effects too, but being based on older approaches, it's much less likely.