The original item was published from August 24, 2022 to August 25, 2023 12:05 AM
Jefferson County Public Health (JCPH) is excited to announce the availability of a new kind of COVID-19 vaccine at our clinic in Lakewood (645 Parfet St.). The new vaccine, called Novavax, is a protein-based vaccine, like other routine immunizations such as pertussis, tetanus, shingles and hepatitis B. This is different from the other COVID-19 vaccines, which are viral vector or mRNA-based.
“The Novavax vaccine contains a small amount of synthetic spike protein as well as an ingredient called an adjuvant, which works to boost your immune system. These two components then work hand-in-hand to teach your body how to recognize and fight the virus that causes COVID-19,” said Dr. Sarah Rowan, Medical Director at JCPH. “Because of the protein-based technology, this vaccine looks a bit more like many of the vaccines we are more familiar with, and it’s been found to be highly effective.”
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) authorized the Novavax vaccine for use in July, but only recently did the vaccine become available in Colorado. In fact, this week (August 15-19) is the first week the clinic at JCPH has had the Novavax brand available.
Similar to other vaccines against COVID-19, Novavax requires a two-dose series, spaced 3-8 weeks apart. This particular vaccine is only available for adults ages 18 and older.
“We are excited to be able to offer the new Novavax vaccine at JCPH, and we are hopeful that it can provide a beacon of hope and a path to better protection for the folks in our community who may have been hesitant about receiving an mRNA vaccine,” said Christine Billings, Director of Emergency Preparedness and Infectious Disease at JCPH. “We know that vaccination against COVID-19 remains our best line of defense, and we want to celebrate any way we can help more folks get vaccinated safely, effectively and quickly before we head back into fall, a time we know respiratory diseases spread more easily.”
The Novavax vaccine is available now at the JCPH clinic; our COVID-19 walk-in clinic is open Monday-Thursday from 7:30 a.m.-12 p.m. and 1-5 p.m. Other COVID-19 vaccines, including Pfizer and Moderna (ages 6 months and older) and Johnson & Johnson (ages 18 and older) are also available.
To learn more about the Novavax vaccine, please visit CDPHE’s website or announcement news release.