CHARLESTON, WV (WOWK)—During a coronavirus vaccination town hall on Wednesday, West Virginia Coronavirus Czar, Dr. Clay Marsh explained the differences between three COVID-19 vaccines developed by Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson.

Marsh said that the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines were developed using similar “revolutionary” technology that tells the body to fight “just that little part of the virus, the spike protein, which is the part of the virus that binds to cell receptors in our body, and it immunizes the body specifically against that spike protein.”

These two vaccines require two separate doses.

The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is made a little bit differently, a little more conventionally, where there’s a “killed virus that allows the immune system to get started, and it also has that spike protein as part of the instructions.”

This vaccine only requires one dose to be effective.

All three vaccines seem to protect people from very serious illness, hospitalization and death.

For information about how to register for the COVID-19 vaccine, please visit the WVDHHR’s website or call the COVID-19 Vaccine Info Line: 1-833-734-0965.