The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted emergency use authorization for Novavax’s COVID-19 vaccine, expanding the number of effective immunizations against the current strain of the virus to three.
Unlike the widely used mRNA vaccines, Novavax’s vaccine is a more traditional protein-based shot. It has been authorized for individuals 12 years of age and older. Previously vaccinated individuals require one dose, while those who have not yet been immunized need two doses.
“Today’s authorization offers another COVID-19 vaccine option that meets the FDA’s rigorous standards for safety, effectiveness, and manufacturing quality necessary for emergency use,” stated Peter Marks, director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, in a press release.
“As we approach the fall season and move into 2024, we strongly encourage eligible individuals to consider receiving the updated COVID-19 vaccine for better protection against the currently circulating variants.”
This authorization comes shortly after the final approval of updated mRNA vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
All three vaccines are designed to target the XBB.1.5 omicron subvariant. Although this strain is no longer the dominant mutation in the United States, it closely resembles the current dominant strain, EG.5, which accounts for about 30 percent of cases, according to the CDC.
“Novavax expects the doses to be available at thousands of locations in the U.S., including pharmacies, physician offices, public health clinics, and government entities such as the Bridge Access Program and Vaccines for Children, in the coming days,” stated Novavax in a press release.
According to Novavax’s CEO John Jacobs, people should be able to receive the updated vaccine at “major pharmacies, physicians’ offices, clinics, and various government entities” within the next few days.
This year’s fall vaccine campaign against COVID-19, the first to have a commercial approach without significant federal government subsidies, has encountered some early challenges. These include patients having to pay out-of-pocket despite being insured and many locations still awaiting vaccine supplies.
However, major insurers have reassured the Biden administration that the shots will be covered, and most of the early issues have been resolved.
According to the Department of Health and Human Services, approximately 2 million people have already been vaccinated. A recent survey indicates that roughly half of adults plan to receive the updated COVID shots, though the majority of parents are not planning to vaccinate their children.
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