Key TakeawaysPharmaceutical companies intentionally color code and create visual reminders to help tell the difference between different COVID-19 dosages. Going to your local pharmacy for your vaccine may add a layer of reassurance.Verbal communication and checking among providers at pharmacies also help prevent errors when giving vaccines.If someone is given the wrong dose of the vaccine, they might experience more—or more intense—side effects than they normally would.

Key Takeaways

Pharmaceutical companies intentionally color code and create visual reminders to help tell the difference between different COVID-19 dosages. Going to your local pharmacy for your vaccine may add a layer of reassurance.Verbal communication and checking among providers at pharmacies also help prevent errors when giving vaccines.If someone is given the wrong dose of the vaccine, they might experience more—or more intense—side effects than they normally would.

In the second year of the pandemic, Americans have several options for vaccines against COVID-19: ThePfizer,Moderna, andJohnson & Johnsonvaccines are safe, effective, and widely available.

Keeping track of all the vaccine information—including the correct dosing—has become essential for the people who are tasked with making sure the shots get into arms. That said, the needs for people in different age brackets andrisk groups, as well as the addition ofbooster shots, have made the situation more complex.

They are not without guidance, however: There are standards in place for each vaccine that help ensure that healthcare providers administer them safely.

COVID Vaccine DosesThe Pfizer vaccine is administered in30 microgramdoses for people ages 12 and up for all 3 shots (2 doses in the initial series and 1 booster shot). For children between the ages of 5 and 11, the dose is 10 micrograms.Moderna vaccine is administered in100 microgram dosesfor the first 2 shots, and its booster shotcontains 50 micrograms. However, people who are immunocompromised or haveother risk factorsmay need to get different doses.Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine is given a single shot, then a booster of the same dosage.

COVID Vaccine Doses

The Pfizer vaccine is administered in30 microgramdoses for people ages 12 and up for all 3 shots (2 doses in the initial series and 1 booster shot). For children between the ages of 5 and 11, the dose is 10 micrograms.Moderna vaccine is administered in100 microgram dosesfor the first 2 shots, and its booster shotcontains 50 micrograms. However, people who are immunocompromised or haveother risk factorsmay need to get different doses.Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine is given a single shot, then a booster of the same dosage.

What Are Your COVID Vaccine Options?

How do healthcare providers keep track of the differences between the vaccine to ensure that people get the right dose? Verywell spoke toKeri Hurley-Kim, PharmD, MPH, health sciences assistant clinical professor of pharmaceutical sciences at the University of California, Irvine, about the safeguards that are in place for vaccine administration at pharmacies.

Labeling Rules

Avoiding dosage errors starts with the people who make vaccines. Hurley-Kim told Verywell that a great deal of thought goes into the design of medication bottles to prevent errors.

Mistakes Happen

In response to the reports of errors, the ISMP recommended additional safety measures for pediatric vaccines, such as separate plastic bins for different dosage levels once syringes are filled.

Hurley-Kim said that Pfizer’s COVID vaccine is color-coded because it comes in both pediatric and adult dosages. According to Hurley-Kim, “an adult dosage is purple, whereas the one for children over [age] 5 is orange.”

Color-coding helps the people who are preparing the vaccines, but once the vaccine is put into a syringe, the next step is proper labeling and making sure that things stay organized. If a pharmacy knows that they have a specific number of appointments each day, then they can get the vials and syringes ready ahead of time.

How To Sign Up For a COVID-19 Vaccine In Every State

Communication

Although color coding and organization can certainly help prevent mistakes, Hurley-Kim said that it’s only the first line of defense; another layer engaging a sense other than sight is even better.

Keri Hurley-Kim, PharmD, MPHFor pharmacists, our bread and butter is avoiding medication errors.

Keri Hurley-Kim, PharmD, MPH

For pharmacists, our bread and butter is avoiding medication errors.

Communicating with the person getting vaccination helps, too. As a safety measure, the person who is giving the vaccine will state which vaccine they are about to administer.

“When [I’m] actually administering it to the patient, I’ll read what I have in my hand and repeat it,” said Hurley-Kim. “When I say, ‘We’re going to be doing the Moderna COVID vaccine today and this is your second dose,’ it gives them an opportunity to say, ‘Oh, no, I should be getting the Pfizer.’ It’s an opportunity to check it against the paperwork you have for them too.”

You Can Get a COVID Shot at Your Local Pharmacy

Careful Checking

According to Hurley-Kim, going to your local pharmacy rather than a doctor’s office might provide you with additional reassurance. Why? Pharmacies have strict rules and “checks” in place to keep people safe.

Hurley-Kim said that “for pharmacists, our bread and butter is avoiding medication errors.” To that end, there are different job functions to organize the distribution of vaccines at a pharmacy.

For example, a licensed pharmacy technician prepares the dosages, which involves taking them from the vial and reconstituting them in the correct proportions.

What If I Get the Wrong Dose?

Even when every precaution is taken, mistakes can still happen. There have been instances where people have been given too much or not enough of a vaccine.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has guidelines that help people figure out what to do if they got too big or too little a dose of a COVID vaccine.

According to Hurley-Kim, if you accidentally get a too-large dose of a COVID shot, you might have thetypical side effects of the vaccine(like soreness in your arm where you got the shot, fatigue, a headache, or a mild fever), they just might be more intense.

On the other hand, if you receive a smaller dose than recommended, the biggest risk is that you may not generate a good immune response. In this case, it’s best to talk to your doctor about whether you might need to get another dose to be protected.

What This Means For You

Pharmacists know how to administer vaccines safely and there are checks in place to prevent errors. However, mistakes can still happen.

Can Immunocompromised People Safely Receive the COVID-19 Vaccine?

The information in this article is current as of the date listed, which means newer information may be available when you read this. For the most recent updates on COVID-19, visit ourcoronavirus news page.

1 SourceVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Institute for Safe Medication Practices.National alert network (NAN) warning issued about age-related COVID-19 vaccine mix-ups.

1 Source

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Institute for Safe Medication Practices.National alert network (NAN) warning issued about age-related COVID-19 vaccine mix-ups.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Institute for Safe Medication Practices.National alert network (NAN) warning issued about age-related COVID-19 vaccine mix-ups.

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