Area health agency awaits Novavax COVID-19 vaccine

Don Reid, The Daily Reporter
·2 min read
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Rebecca Burns, health officer at Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health, told the agency's board Thursday thathe department has ordered, but has not received, a new Novavax COVID-19 vaccine.

Like annual flu vaccines, the Novavax vaccine is protein-based, widely used for decades. Burns said she hopes this type of vaccine would be more acceptable to those concerned that other vaccines are "fetal materials."

Current vaccines are mRNA-based from Pfizer and Moderna or a viral vector vaccine from Johnson & Johnson.

Dr. Karen Luparello, medical director at the agency, said this would add to those in department refrigerators with all different-colored tops on vials from other companies and age groups.

Luparello said she is uncertain whether the new vaccine would require one or two shots and if there are boosters involved.

Luparello said she knows patients are getting rebound cases after the first positive and recovering with a negative test. A short time later, they get symptoms again of sore throat and runny nose and test positive.

"This is sort of scary," she said.

Luparellor said the current vaccine might not be effective against the BA5 variant, the more contagious strain of the virus. Testing shows the BA5 variant is the most prevalent.

Vaccines targeted at the BA5 are not expected until fall.

Burns said the agency is evaluating self-help materials for schools, employers and community members that is published on its website to update anything that is no longer accurate.

Those updates will be made as evaluations are done.

The COVID-19 vaccines are being offered to anyone who requests them. Appointments may be scheduled on the agency website or by contacting the agency's immunization department.

Each Friday, the agency is testing for those without self-tests at the Hillsdale and Three Rivers offices. Tests are available each Thursday in Coldwater.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Reporter: Area health agency waiting for new Novavax COVID-19 vaccine