I hope you are among the millions of Arizonans benefiting from the safe and highly effective protection offered by COVID-19 vaccines. With COVID-19 still active in our state, these vaccines and booster doses have been doing a very good job of reducing the chances of severe illness, hospitalization, and death. And on top of that, a Pfizer booster that targets the Omicron BA.5 subvariant is awaiting FDA review.
If you have yet to be vaccinated against COVID-19, there is a new option for those 12 and older: Novavax.
Novavax is a protein subunit vaccine, meaning it contains the spike protein of the virus that causes COVID-19 and an ingredient that helps the immune system respond to it. It’s important to note that it does not contain any live virus and cannot give someone COVID-19.
Like other COVID-19 vaccines, Novavax has gone through rigorous testing and reviews. It has emergency use authorization as a two-dose primary series.
There isn’t a great deal of Novavax available at this time, though the Pfizer and Moderna mNRA vaccines are widely available across Arizona. Our Vaccine Finder at azhealth.gov/FindVaccine lists providers offering Novavax in the Phoenix and Tucson areas, as well as Flagstaff, Prescott, and Bisbee.
Vaccination is the best tool available to protect against severe illness as well as long COVID. I encourage everyone to get up to date on COVID-19 vaccination, including those Arizonans who have yet to get their first doses.
