Discussed in this episode:
How does Novavax compare to mRNA vaccines? It is different from a traditional vaccine, as it is a protein entering the immune system. Comparatively, mRNA vaccines facilitate the generation of proteins that can be protective. The Novavax results seem to be similar to mRNA vaccines, and some studies have shown that the protection provided can keep people from getting sick for up to four months. The smaller-scale operation of Novavax will gradually pick up. This is not the first non-mRNA vaccine that has been publicly distributed. The differences compared to the J&J vaccine are as follows:
- J&J uses mRNA technology to code an identical virus vector to generate a reaction from the immune system. This is no longer available given the rare side effects it causes in 2021.
Could Novavax potentially be a better suited for people who have stronger reactions to mRNA vaccines?
It is important to get the newest vaccine sooner rather than later, since the comparative benefits will become more clear later in a few months.
Could the Nobel prize win for Covid vaccine scientists propel forward more research on using mRNA technology?
Podcast music credit: Now Son by Podington Bear, licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 International License.