The Facts
On Wed., the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved emergency use authorization for Novavax's COVID vaccine. The approval provides a fourth vaccine option for American adults who have not yet received their first dose of any other vaccine.
Novavax's vaccine uses a protein-based formula while the Pfizer BioNTech and Moderna vaccines are both mRNA-based.
The Spin
Narrative A
Vaccine conspiracy theories tragically stigmatized mRNA jabs for millions of people in America. An "old school" protein-based jab, similar to the flu shot, could have more appeal to the unvaccinated. US officials bet the farm on mRNA products, and it's wise to offer consumers alternatives.
Narrative B
Novavax is a latecomer to the COVID vaccine landscape, and its early production fumbles were costly. The market is already well established by Pfizer and Moderna in the US, and whether its non-mRNA formula will be accepted by entrenched vaccine skeptics remains very much to be seen.
