Comirnaty (Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine) is an mRNA vaccine that's used to prevent infection from the virus that causes COVID-19. It's FDA approved for people 65 years and older, and for children and adults ages 5 to 64 years old who have at least one risk factor for severe COVID. The vaccine is given as a single booster shot into the muscle by a healthcare professional. Common side effects include pain at the injection site, tiredness, headache, and chills.
Prevention of COVID-19 infection in people 65 years of age and older
Prevention of COVID-19 infection in people ages 5 to 64 years old with at least one condition that puts them at high risk of serious problems from illness
Comirnaty is an mRNA vaccine. It contains lab-made mRNA (genetic information). This piece of mRNA teaches your body to make a part of the "spike protein" found on the COVID-19 virus.
Your immune system sees this spike protein as something that doesn't belong in your body. This causes your immune system to make antibodies against the protein. These antibodies tell other immune cells to get rid of the protein from the body.
Afterwards, your immune system remembers what the COVID spike protein looks like. So if you get exposed to COVID, your immune system is ready to fight and protect you from getting very sick.
Source: DailyMed
Side effects that you should report to your care team as soon as possible:
Side effects that usually do not require medical attention (report these to your care team if they continue or are bothersome):
Only need 1 shot to be fully vaccinated
Approved for older adults and certain people 5 years and older
Doesn't guarantee that you won't get COVID-19 (but helps lessen severity)
Commonly causes temporary pain at injection site, fever, and tiredness
Comirnaty is injected into your muscle by a healthcare professional at an office, clinic, or pharmacy.
Comirnaty can cause mild side effects like pain at the injection site, tiredness, muscle aches, fever, and chills. These are normal signs that your body is building protection and usually go away on their own within a few days.
If side effects from Comirnaty get worse after 24 hours or don't go away after a few days, contact a healthcare professional.
You can place a clean, cool, wet washcloth on the area where you got Comirnaty to help relieve pain or swelling. Moving your arm around can also help reduce soreness.
Before getting Comirnaty, don't take any pain-relieving medications, like ibuprofen or acetaminophen, or antihistamines like diphenhydramine just to try to prevent side effects. It's not known if these medications affect how well the vaccine works.
After getting Comirnaty, ask a healthcare professional which medications are safe to take if you have side effects.
Comirnaty can cause some serious health issues. This risk may be even higher for certain groups. If this worries you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about other options.
Risk factors: Males between ages 12 to 24
Although very rare, Comirnaty has been linked to heart inflammation, such as myocarditis (swelling of the heart muscle) and pericarditis (swelling of the tissue lining the outside of the heart).
From reported data, this risk has been higher in males between 12 and 24 years old. Symptoms have typically shown up in the first week after vaccination. Most people recover within a few days after they get medical help and supportive care.
Call a healthcare professional right away if you have possible signs of heart inflammation after your Comirnaty shot. Look out for chest pain, shortness of breath, or a racing heart.
Some people have fainted shortly after getting vaccines that are injected into the muscle. Tell the healthcare professional if you've ever fainted after a vaccination. They can keep a close eye on you for about 15 minutes after you get Comirnaty to make sure everything is okay. To prevent getting hurt from fainting, it's best to sit down to get your shot and while the care team is watching you.
Risk factors: Medical conditions that weaken the immune system | Taking medications that lower the activity of the immune system
Comirnaty might not work as well for people with a weakened immune system. This means they could still get very sick from COVID-19, even after getting the vaccine.
Before getting vaccinated, tell your care team about your health problems and any medications you take. Some conditions, like human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and cancer, can weaken the immune system. And some medications, like high-dose steroids and transplant medications, can also make your immune system weaker.
If you have a weak immune system, keep taking steps to protect yourself from COVID. Talk to a healthcare professional about more ways to prevent getting sick.
Comirnaty is injected into the muscle by a healthcare professional.
The typical dose is 1 injection (0.3 mL) into the muscle for the year.
Prevention of COVID-19 infection in people 65 years of age and older
Prevention of COVID-19 infection in people ages 5 to 64 years old with at least one condition that puts them at high risk of serious problems from illness
Prevention of COVID-19 infection in people aged 12 years and older
Prevention of COVID-19 infection in people 65 years of age and older
Prevention of COVID-19 infection in people between 6 months and 64 years old with at least one condition that puts them at high risk of serious problems from illness
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American Lung Association. (2025). Preventing COVID-19.
Berg, S. (2023). What doctors wish patients knew now about COVID-19 risk and age. American Medical Association.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2025). People with Certain Medical Conditions and COVID-19 Risk Factors.
Immunize.org. (2023). Fainting related to vaccination: What you need to know.
MedlinePlus. (2024). Myocarditis.
MedlinePlus. (2024). Pericarditis.
National Human Genome Research Institute. (2025). Antibody.
National Human Genome Research Institute. (2021). Understanding COVID-19 mRNA vaccines.
Pfizer Laboratories Div Pfizer Inc. (2025). COMIRNATY- covid-19 vaccine, mrna injection, suspension [package insert]. DailyMed.
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