The Perfect Enemy | Mass. doctor on approval of new COVID-19 vaccine

Mass. doctor on approval of new COVID-19 vaccine

ANNOUNCER: YOU’RE WATCHING WCVB NEWSCENTER 5 AT 5:30. ERIKA: THE CDC OFFERS A NEW COVID-19 VACCINE OPTION TO AMERICAN ADULTS WHO STILL HAVEN’T RECEIVED A SINGLE DOSE. HERE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS IS DR. DANIEL KURITZKES, CHIEF OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES AT BRIGHAM AND WOMEN’S HOSPITAL. ED: THE DOSING FOR NOVAVAX IS TWO SHOTS, THREE WEEKS APART, WHICH IS SIMILAR TO THE SCHEDULE FOR PFIZER AND MODERNA. WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE DIFFERENCES? >> GOOD TO SEE YOU. THE NOVAVAX VACCINE IS DIFFERENT WHAT WE CALL A PROTEIN VACCINE. THE VACCINE HAS THE SPIKED PROTEIN IN NANO PARTICLES THAT ARE INJECTED MUCH THE SAME WAY OTHER TRADITIONAL VACCINES. IT DOESN’T HAVE ANY MRNA OR ANY OTHER VIRUS LIKE PART OF VACCINE HAS. IT’S HIGHLY EFFECTIVE. 90% PROTECTION AGAINST SYSTEMATIC DISEASE, NEARLY PERFECTLY PROTECTED AGAINST SEVERE DISEASE. IT’S GOOD AS THE MODERNA AND PFIZER VACCINES. ERIKA: THE CDC REPORTS, 88% OF ADULTS IN MASSACHUSETTS ARE FULLY VACCINATED. DO YOU THINK THE NOVAVAX VACCINE WILL APPEAL TO THE 12% WHO ARE NOT? >> IT CERTAINLY PROVIDES ANOTHER OPTION. ALTHOUGH, WE’VE BEEN CLEAR ALL ALONG THAT THERE’S REALLY NO RISK AT ALL ASSOCIATED WITH THE MESSENGER MRNA CONCERNS. ED: LET’S GET TO THESE VIEWER QUESTIONS. THE FIRST ONE IS FROM DIANE. I’VE GOTTEN ALL OF MY VACCINE SHOTS FROM PFIZER. SHOULD I SWITCH TO MODERNA FOR MY SECOND BOOSTER? >> IT REALLY DOESN’T MATTER WHICH OF THE VACCINES YOU GET BOOSTED WITH. IF YOU GOT PFIZER, YOU CAN GET BOOSTED WITH PFIZER. YOU CAN SWITCH MOST EASILY AVAILABLE TO YOU. ERIKA: HERE’S ANOTHER ONE, THIS TIME FROM VIKRUM. I GOT A COVID BOOSTER ON NOVEMBER 16. SINCE THEN, I’VE HAD COVID TWICE. I WOULD MUCH RATHER GET ANOTHER BOOSTER. HOW MUCH LONGER DO I HAVE TO WAIT? >> WELL, IT DEPENDS A LITTLE BIT ON YOUR AGE. IF YOU ARE NOW ADULTS AGE 50 AND OLDER WHO HAVE BEEN VACCINATED AND BOOSTED, FOUR MONTHS AFTER THEIR FIRST BOOS BOOSTER THEY CA THEIR SECOND BOOSTER. IF YOU HAVE OTHER REASONS TO BE BOOSTED, THAT ALSO REASON TO GET THE BOOSTER, FOUR MONTHS AFTER YOUR PREVIOUS BOOSTER. WE’VE WITHIN GIVING GUIDANCE THAT YOU SHOULD WAIT ABOUT THREE MONTHS AFTER INFECTION TO GET BOOSTED. THERE’S REALLY NO HARD RULE ABOUT THAT. IT’S BEEN FOUR MONTHS AND YOU’RE FEELING BETTER FROM YOUR MOST RECENT COVID, GO AHEAD AND GET THE BOOSTER. ED: I HAVE ONE FINAL QUESTION. WE USED TO SEEING TWO OR THREE YEARS THE CD’S. WHAT ARE THE CD’S? >> IT DIDN’T MAKE IT. ED: YOU STILL HAVE T

Mass. doctor on approval of new COVID-19 vaccine

Brigham’s Dr. Daniel Kuritzkes explains the similarities and differences with Novavax.