COVID-19 Vaccines

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Last updated: 3 August 2023

The development and roll-out of COVID-19 vaccines have been fundamental in saving lives and protecting people from severe disease and death —especially those most at-risk and vulnerable to COVID-19, protecting health systems, and reducing widescale social disruption.

WHO in the Western Pacific continues to work with governments and partners to facilitate equitable access to and distribution of vaccines as quickly as possible.

However, the hard work is not over as COVID-19 remains a public health concern. Having the recommended doses of COVID-19 vaccine remains important, in combination with other measures, for the longer-term and sustained management of COVID-19.

Use the links on this page to access more information and resources about COVID-19 vaccines.

Question and Answers

• Vaccines and immunization
• COVID-19 vaccines safety
• COVID-19 vaccines
• COVID-19 vaccine research and development
• COVID-19 vaccine access and allocation

Technical guidance

• COVID-19 vaccine tracker and landscape
• Interim recommendations for an extended primary series with an additional vaccine dose for COVID-19 vaccination in immunocompromised persons
• Behavioural considerations for acceptance and uptake of COVID-19 vaccines
• Evaluation of COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness
• Acceptance and demand for COVID-19 vaccines: interim guidance, 31 January 2021
• Enhancing acceptance and demand for vaccination in the Western Pacific Region : a guide for programme managers on strategies for assessing and addressing hesitancy and sustaining vaccination uptake

Types of COVID-19 vaccines

• Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine
• Moderna (mRNA-1273) COVID-19 vaccine
• Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine
• J&J COVID-19 vaccine
• Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine
• Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine
• COVAXIN
• Covovax
• Novavax
• CanSino Biologics Ad5-nCoV-S [recombinant]

Information for the public

Vaccine explainers from WHO Global

How to talk about vaccines

The different types of COVID-19 vaccines

How do vaccines work?

Side Effects of COVID-19 Vaccines

Safety of COVID-19 Vaccines

Manufacturing, safety and quality control of vaccines

How are vaccines developed?

Getting the COVID-19 Vaccine

Vaccine efficacy, effectiveness and protection

The effects of virus variants on COVID-19 vaccines

How will there be fair and equitable allocation of limited supplies?

WHO vaccine news

More >

19 October 2023 Media release

United States provides four mobile vaccination clinics to boost vaccination coverage in remote districts

13 September 2023 Media release

United States provides equipment to strengthen vaccination and health system in Lao PDR

2 August 2023

In the Solomon Islands, many rivers to cross

20 July 2023

Viet Nam: Cold chain support helps restore childhood immunization and strengthen primary health care

WHO COVID-19 vaccine videos

more >

14 October 2022

WHO's Science in 5: Older adults and COVID-19 vaccines

15 August 2022

The CSO Initiative - People in Need, Philippines

12 May 2022

WHO’s Science in 5 on COVID-19: Vaccines and children

10 March 2022

Do I need a booster dose, and does it need to be the same brand as the other doses I've had?

10 March 2022

Why do I need to keep following protective measures after being vaccinated?

10 March 2022

Can COVID-19 vaccines cause long-term or serious side effects?

10 March 2022

Should schools wait for children to be vaccinated before reopening?

10 March 2022

Why do people still get COVID-19 even after getting vaccinated?

More on COVID-19 vaccines from WHO Global

Generating acceptance and demand for COVID-19 vaccines

COVID-19 vaccine country readiness and delivery

COVAX: Working for global equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines

The push for a COVID-19 vaccine