Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has infected millions of people worldwide. Vaccines are urgently needed to mitigate COVID-19 pandemic and return to the pre-pandemic era. The aims of the current literature review were to discuss the administered vaccines andor those under trials, and to summarize the effectiveness of the available COVID-19 vaccines. Scientists worldwide have made extensive efforts for vaccine development in record time. Several vaccine candidates have been developed; where many of them have passed stage III clinical trials and have recorded positive results. About 18 vaccines candidates are currently in phase III clinical trial. Almost all the developing vaccine candidates have T cell response and detectable numbers of neutralizing antibodies. The most common vaccine side effects include; fever, chills, fatigue, headache, muscle and joint pains. The post stage III successful vaccines have been administered to individuals worldwide.