In this third episode, experts discuss the two big mRNA vaccine breakthroughs from Pfizer/BionTech and Moderna, which now have emergency use authorisations in a number of countries. We hear their first impressions on what the “better than expected” results tell us and how that might translate to durability, protection against severe disease and transmission. They also explore the inevitable challenges around gathering future evidence if people in the placebo group are offered the vaccines. The initial safety profile of these mRNA vaccines gets dissected including the reported allergic reactions and cases of Bell’s Palsy. Amid current limitations with these datasets, experts also discuss viewpoints on administering the vaccine to pregnant women, women who want to get pregnant and 16/17 year olds. Guest profiles and timestamps available at https://thecovaxfiles.com