July 20, 2022 - On Tuesday, President Joe Biden released a statement on FDA and CDC Authorizing Novavax’s COVID-19 Vaccine for Adults.
Today is another step forward in our nation’s fight against the virus. Following an independent scientific review by the Food and Drug Administration last week and today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Novavax’s protein-based COVID-19 vaccine for adults has been authorized. We now have four safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines available to protect Americans against serious illness, hospitalizations, and death.
When I took office, my Administration took decisive action to fix a broken COVID-19 response and stand up a historic vaccination program that has gotten over 260 million Americans at least their first shot, and nearly 110 million people a booster shot. This unprecedented effort has already saved over 2 million American lives, but more people need to roll up their sleeves, particularly as we confront BA.5.
The science and data are clear: vaccines continue to protect people from serious illness, hospitalizations, and death—and with BA.5 increasing infections, it is essential that people get themselves and their kids vaccinated and stay up to date on their COVID-19 vaccinations. I encourage everyone to get their booster if they are eligible. If you’re age 50 or older, or a moderately or severely immunocompromised individual, and haven’t gotten a vaccine shot this year—you should get one right away. It is free, easy, and could save your life.
Over the past 18 months, my Administration has left no stone unturned to ensure Americans have easy and convenient access to lifesaving tools, including vaccines, treatments, tests and more. These tools work even in the face of BA.5—they protect people, keep people out of the hospital, and save lives. While we know COVID-19 isn’t over, we can manage this moment and continue to minimize COVID-19’s impact on our daily lives.
CDC Recommends Novavax’s COVID-19 Vaccine for Adults
July 20, 2022 - On Tuesday, CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky, M.D., M.P.H., endorsed the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ (ACIP) recommendation that Novavax’s COVID-19 vaccine be used as another primary series option for adults ages 18 years and older. Novavax’s COVID-19 vaccine, which will be available in the coming weeks, is an important tool in the pandemic and provides a more familiar type of COVID-19 vaccine technology for adults. Having multiple types of vaccines offers more options and flexibility for the public, jurisdictions, and vaccine providers.
Protein subunit vaccines package harmless proteins of the COVID-19 virus alongside another ingredient called an adjuvant that helps the immune system respond to the virus in the future. Vaccines using protein subunits have been used for more than 30 years in the United States, beginning with the first licensed hepatitis B vaccine. Other protein subunit vaccines used in the United States today include those to protect against influenza and whooping cough (acellular pertussis).
The following is attributable to Dr. Walensky:
“Today, we have expanded the options available to adults in the U.S. by recommending another safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine. If you have been waiting for a COVID-19 vaccine built on a different technology than those previously available, now is the time to join the millions of Americans who have been vaccinated. With COVID-19 cases on the rise again across parts of the country, vaccination is critical to help protect against the complications of severe COVID-19 disease.”
Source: CDC
