On the hunt for Novavax: Why people are seeking out the 'traditional' COVID vaccine

Although Pfizer's and Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccines have been stealing the spotlight for years, some people are actively seeking out the lesser-known Novavax for their updated booster this fall. Multiple people have been claiming on social media that Novavax comes with fewer side effects or none at all — “not even a sore arm,” to quote one X user. Meanwhile, Facebook groups, such as Bay Area Vaccine Hunters, are posting "Got my Novavax!" while others have been sharing where to find it.

So how does Novavax stack up against Pfizer's and Moderna’s COVID vaccines, and is one vaccine really better than another when it comes to side effects and more? Here’s what experts say.

What's the difference between Novavax, Pfizer and Moderna's COVID vaccines?

Bill Sullivan, professor of microbiology and immunology at Indiana University School of Medicine, explains that, in general, vaccines train your immune system to fight a virus by showing it a piece of the virus called an antigen. “In the case of COVID, the antigen is the viral spike protein, the same protein that your immune system reacts to during a natural infection,” he tells Yahoo Life. “All three COVID vaccines use the same viral spike protein as an antigen, so they’re virtually equivalent in this regard.”

The difference, he says, is that the Novavax vaccine delivers the viral protein directly into the body. “In contrast, the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines deliver mRNA [messenger RNA] that contains the genetic instructions for our body’s cells to make the viral protein,” Sullivan says.

A spokesperson for Novavax tells Yahoo Life that its COVID-19 shot is “the only protein-based vaccine authorized in the U.S.,” adding: “This protein-based technology has been used to develop many other common vaccines, such as influenza and shingles.”

More specifically, Pfizer's and Moderna’s COVID vaccines target the KP.2 variant — the more recent variant circulating this past summer — while Novavax targets the JN.1 variant (the parent of KP.2) that circulated during last winter and spring, Dr. Scott Roberts, associate professor of medicine specializing in infectious diseases at Yale School of Medicine, tells Yahoo Life.

As was the case with Pfizer and Moderna, Novavax is not FDA-approved but was granted emergency use authorization (EUA) for its COVID vaccine. “It should also be noted that the mRNA vaccines are available for people aged 6 months and older,” says Sullivan. “However, the Novavax vaccine is only approved for people aged 12 years and older.”

Why might some people choose Novavax over the other vaccines?

Sullivan says that some people prefer Novavax boosters because of reduced side effects after getting the shot. “The mRNA vaccines make some people feel tired, achy or feverish the next day, but preliminary reports suggest this happens less in people who receive the Novavax vaccine,” he says.

But more research is needed when it comes to comparing the side effects of Novavax, Pfizer and Moderna. “We have not conducted head-to-head studies,” a Novavax spokesperson says. “However, our data show that the Novavax vaccine offers updated protection against the most commonly circulating variants with manageable common side effects.”

Sullivan notes that the lower number of people experiencing side effects could be related to how many have taken the Novavax vaccine. “Billions of people have taken the mRNA vaccines, so we have a lot more data on it,” he says. “Only 80,000 or so people have taken the Novavax vaccine so far, so as more people take it, we may see more reports of mild side effects that mirror those produced by the mRNA vaccines.”

There are other reasons driving people to seek out Novavax. “Most of my patients tell me they want Novavax because they have some sort of allergy or adverse reaction to the mRNA vaccines,” says Roberts. “Others prefer the ‘traditional’ vaccine methodology that is done for many other vaccines, including influenza.”

However, Roberts adds that “there is no major difference in vaccine efficacy — and an overall lack of head-to-head trials — but all three have shown good efficacy against reducing the risk of severe COVID-19 disease in vaccinated individuals compared to unvaccinated individuals.”

How safe are vaccines using mRNA technology?

Prior to COVID, Sullivan explains that vaccines traditionally used protein as the antigen to trigger an immune response, which is also how Novavax works. “Protein antigens have been used for decades for dozens of different types of vaccines and have a remarkably safe and effective track record, which is reassuring to many people,” he says.

However, COVID forced scientists to innovate faster ways to manufacture safe vaccines, says Sullivan, “and mRNA proved to be an outstanding solution.” He adds that “mRNA vaccines save us the time and trouble it takes to make the protein antigen because our body’s cells do that for us.” Sullivan also points out that “a wealth of studies” show that mRNA vaccines are not only effective, but also incredibly safe.

That said, Sullivan says some people still feel uneasy given how relatively new mRNA vaccines are — even though mRNA has been studied for decades — and that long-term side effects can’t be known yet. But, he adds, “the scientific consensus sees no reason why mRNA vaccines would pose a danger years after it has been taken.”

Roberts agrees that mRNA vaccines are very safe, noting that they’re some of the most studied vaccines of all time by this point in terms of safety data. “In almost all cases, the benefits of getting the vaccine outweigh the risks of side effects,” he says, “but if someone is concerned, they should talk to their doctor about it.”

How effective is Novavax compared to Pfizer and Moderna?

Roberts reiterates that there haven’t been clear head-to-head trials of all three vaccines, and says the initial trials were done at different points in the pandemic, making it hard to compare them. However, Novavax performed as well as Pfizer and Moderna did in their own early trials, with a 90% efficacy rate, according to Yale Medicine, compared to Pfizer's and Moderna’s 95% effectiveness rate.

“All three are effective in reducing the risk of severe complications from COVID, so I would accept whichever is offered at the time I go to get vaccinated,” says Roberts. “The only main difference I can see is that Novavax targets a slightly older variant — [which is the] parent of [the] KP.2 variant that Pfizer/Moderna target — so there may be a slightly lower efficacy in cross-protection down the road if the variants continue to evolve, if at all, but it is very hard to predict what will be circulating in a few months.”

He adds: “I would be happy with any of the three.”

For Sullivan, he offers this advice: “If the mRNA vaccines make you feel yucky the next day, it is worth speaking to your doctor about trying the Novavax version instead” next time.

Both experts say that having options when it comes to COVID vaccines is important for several reasons. Roberts notes that because some people can have side effects or allergies to one vaccine type but not another, it’s critical to carry multiple types of vaccines. “If some people are worried about one vaccine technology, there is another option,” he says, “and I am grateful that we have multiple types to choose from.”

Whichever shot people opt for, Sullivan says all three vaccines help protect people from illness and reduce transmission of the virus. “Vaccines, whether mRNA- or protein-based, help us achieve those goals,” he says. “If a protein-based vaccine makes people more comfortable about getting vaccinated, that is good news for everyone.”