New vaccine against COVID-19

**UPDATE AS OF AUGUST 22, 2022**  The Novavax vaccine has been approved for individuals 12+.  Appointments available -- click on the vial above.

Please note that the information on this blog page is current as of the date of publication, August 6, 2022.  The COVID-19 virus, vaccines against it, and the pandemic continue to evolve quickly, so we encourage you to consult the web pages of the CDC and FDA for the latest information.

What is the Novavax vaccine against COVID-19?

The Novavax vaccine is the fourth vaccine that the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and Centres for Disease Control (CDC) have approved for use against COVID-19.  It has been approved under Emergency Use Authorization (EUA).

The Novavax vaccine is a traditional, protein-based vaccine.  The Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines use mRNA (messenger RNA) technology and the Janssen (J&J) vaccine is an adenovirus vector vaccine.

• Protein-based vaccine technology (used in the Novavax vaccine) - This traditional type of vaccine was developed almost 100 years ago (e.g. tetanus and diphtheria).  The vaccine that is injected in our body includes only the harmless parts of the virus that best stimulate our immune system.
  
  The Novavax vaccine contains synthetic, harmless S proteins, produced with the help of the fall armyworm insect and moths (see the last link below in the references section for details).  Our body recognizes the S proteins as pathogens (things that cause disease) and fight them by creating antibodies and defensive white blood cells.  Thus, we are protected if we later become infected with the COVID-19 virus.
  
  The Novavax vaccine also has Matrix-M adjuvant which contains saponin extracts from the bark of the soapbark tree that is native to Chile.  The ingredients list of the Novavax vaccine can be found in its Fact Sheet.  The adjuvant facilitates a better immune response.
  
  
• Viral vector technology (used in the Janssen vaccine) - This technology uses a modified, harmless version of a different virus (a vector, or a carrier) to deliver instructions to our body's cells. The cells produce harmless pieces of the virus, called antigens, which trigger an immune response in the body. Our body is thus trained to recognize COVID-19 and fight against it if we get infected after being vaccinated.  This technology is also used in the Astra-Zeneca vaccine (approved outside of the U.S.).
  
  
• mRNA technology (used in the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines) - This new type of vaccine provides instructions for our cells to make proteins to be able to train our immune system. mRNA is a type of RNA (ribonucleic acid).  See our May 2021 blog about mRNA technology for more information about it.
  

Who is eligible?

Individuals 18+ who have not had any previous vaccine against COVID-19 are eligible. 

Individuals who have been infected with COVID-19 can also get vaccinated, after their quarantine is completed and they are no longer symptomatic.

Can it protect me against new variants of COVID-19?

In a Phase 3 study conducted in the U.S. and Mexico during a period in which multiple variants (Alpha, Beta) were in circulation, vaccine efficacy against mild, moderate, or severe COVID-19 was 90%.  There is insufficient data for Omicron. 

The Novavax vaccine is still being studied in clinical trials.

Can I use the Novavax vaccine to "mix and match"?

The initial series of the Novavax vaccine is given in two doses, 3 to 8 weeks apart. 

The Novavax vaccine is not given as a booster.  At this time, boosters have not been approved for individuals who receive the Novavax initial series.

Can I get other vaccines at the same time as the Novavax vaccine?

There is no problem getting Novavax or any of the other COVID vaccines with other vaccines with one exception, orthopoxvirus vaccines. Monkeypox is an orthopox virus and the two vaccines available for monkeypox are orthopoxvirus vaccines.  So if an individual has received a dose of one of the vaccines against monkeypox, the CDC suggests waiting four weeks to get a COVID-19 vaccine dose.

References and Additional Information:

• Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center - on viral vector vaccines - https://wexnermedical.osu.edu/blog/explaining-johnson-johnson-astrazeneca-vaccines
• AstraZeneca - on viral vector vaccines - https://www.astrazeneca.com/what-science-can-do/topics/covid-19/covid-19-what-are-viral-vector-vaccines-and-how-do-they-work.html
• Mayo Clinic - on different types of COVID-19 vaccines - https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/different-types-of-covid-19-vaccines/art-20506465
• Johns Hopkins - on the Novavax vaccine - https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2022/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-novavax-protein-based-vaccine
• American Medical Association (AMA) - on what sets the Novavax vaccine apart -  https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/public-health/what-sets-apart-novavax-option-other-covid-19-vaccines
• AMA - on Novavax vaccine questions - https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/public-health/novavax-vaccine-questions-answered-sandra-fryhofer-md
• Centers for Disease Control (CDC) - fact sheets for Novavax - https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/novavax-covid-19-vaccine-adjuvanted#additional
• World Health Organization (WHO) - on Novavax - https://www.who.int/news-room/feature-stories/detail/the-novavax-vaccine-against-covid-19-what-you-need-to-know
• Science.org - on the Novavax vaccine - https://www.science.org/content/article/powerful-new-covid-19-vaccine-shows-90-efficacy-could-boost-worlds-supply
• FDA briefing document - on Novavax - https://www.fda.gov/media/158912/download
• New England Journal of Medicine - on the efficacy and safety of the Novavax vaccine, NVX-CoV2373 - https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2116185
• University of Nebraska Medical Center - on the  Novavax vaccine and moths and tree bark - https://www.nebraskamed.com/COVID/moths-and-tree-bark-how-the-novavax-vaccine-works

Additional references and information as of August 22, 2022:

• CDC news release on the Novavax vaccine for adolescents - https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2022/s0822-novax-vaccine.html
• CDC on Novavax overview and safety - https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/novavax.html