By Cara Murez
HealthDay Reporter
THURSDAY, Oct. 20, 2022 (HealthDay Information) – Individuals will now have one other selection if they need a COVID booster shot.
On Wednesday, the U.S. Meals and Drug Administration permitted Novavax Inc.’s protein-based vaccine as a primary booster dose. Till now, it had solely been permitted as a two-dose major collection.
“The U.S. now has entry to the Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine, adjuvanted, the primary protein-based choice, as a booster,” Novavax President and CEO Stanley Erck stated in a information launch. “In response to CDC information, nearly 50 p.c of adults who acquired their major collection have but to obtain their first booster dose. Providing one other vaccine selection could assist enhance COVID-19 booster vaccination charges for these adults.”
The Novavax booster may very well be utilized by adults who can’t discover or will not be ready to make use of an mRNA boosters from Pfizer or Moderna. It’s additionally accessible to individuals who choose this vaccine for a booster over the mRNA choices. The Novavax booster will be given at the very least six months after the first collection.
The Novavax vaccine makes use of a extra conventional strategy to preventing the virus, educating the immune system to acknowledge modified fragments of the coronavirus spike protein.
Scientists created the vaccine from a genetic sequence of the unique pressure of the virus. Vaccines that battle hepatitis B and pertussis are additionally made on this means.
Public well being officers are encouraging folks to get their boosters. About 68% of U.S. residents have had an preliminary COVID vaccine collection, however solely 33.5% have acquired boosters, CDC information reveals. Novavax’s vaccine is one in all 4 choices accessible in the US now.
Extra info
The U.S. Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention has extra on COVID-19 vaccines.
SOURCE: CNN
