Nearly one in every three Michiganders age 5 and older have not yet gotten a COVID-19 vaccine, despite ample supply, data and medical guidance indicating the benefits outweigh the risks.
But a fourth option could soon be available in the U.S., after advisors for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday, June 7, recommended that regulators grant emergency use authorization to a COVID vaccine developed by Maryland-based Novavax.
Dr. Liam Sullivan, an infectious disease specialist for Spectrum Health, said he expects the Novavax shot to be of interest to some individuals who have been concerned about the newer mRNA vaccine technology (made by Pfizer or Moderna), or the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which has been linked to rare but serious blood clotting concerns.
“It’s a more traditional option that’s going to be available for people who have been hesitant to get vaccinated,” Sullivan said. “There is a chunk of people out there who have been asking about Novavax and it’s not going to be a dramatic uptake, but I do think there’s this niche that Novavax is going to fill.”
Novavax’s shot works like other vaccines that have long been available, including for hepatitis A, hepatitis B, shingles, and the human papillomavirus (HPV). The two-dose regimen uses a spike protein similar to SARS-CoV-2, and an adjuvant, which helps boost immune response, to trigger the body’s defense system to fight off future infections.
On Tuesday, the FDA’s advisory committee signed off on the vaccine after reviewing clinical data. The FDA is expected to use that recommendation to make a decision on authorization in the near future.
From there, the CDC and its advisors will go through a similar review before signing off. Throughout the pandemic, that has typically happened in a matter of days once the FDA gives a vaccine/treatment the green light.
During clinical trials, the Novavax vaccine proved safe and about 90% effective at preventing symptomatic COVID-19. However, the trials were conducted before the latest variants burst onto the scene, which led some FDA advisors to question how effective the shot will be against omicron or future variants.
In the end, the advisory committee voted 21-0 in favor of recommending the vaccine be granted authorization.
Dr. Sullivan knows adding another vaccine option is not going to convince all the remaining holdouts, but he said it could move the needle.
“The hardcore anti-vaxxers, it’s not going to make a difference to them,” he said. “But I think there’s still this niche of people who are right on the fence, but they’re nervous about the mRNA vaccines because of its newness, and this may help push them to the other side of the fence to get a shot.”
The Novavax shot is already available in 37 countries around the world, including Australia, Canada, and much of Europe. Manufacturing problems slowed the vaccine’s development, according to an AP report, but the problems have been resolved.
About 66.3% of Michigan residents age 5 and older have gotten at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine since late 2020. Uptake has been highest in older populations, who are at higher risk of severe illness, and lowest in children, teens and young adults.
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