ow that it’s fall, it’s time to get updated on your COVID-19 vaccines if you want to stay protected throughout the winter, when infectious diseases flourish. But does it matter which shot you get?
For now, there are only two options—both mRNA-based vaccines, made by Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is still reviewing data from Novavax, which makes a different type of vaccine based on recombinant viral proteins. Both Moderna’s and Pfizer-BioNTech’s vaccines are approved for people 12 years and older, and have an emergency use authorization for children under 12.
Practically speaking, if you’re eager to get your shot soon, you’ll get an mRNA vaccine, since these are the only ones approved so far. And the sooner you get boosted, the sooner you’ll be protected against getting infected and also from getting really sick, so most health officials will probably advise you not to wait for Novavax’s shot, if and when it is authorized. While the updated mRNA shots target XBB.1.5, a different virus variant than the ones that are circulating now, studies that the manufacturers presented to health officials show that the shots still produce a strong antibody response against the newer variants like EG.5 and BA.2.86.
But if and when Novavax’s vaccine becomes available, does it make sense to switch if you’ve received mostly mRNA shots so far? Does the type of vaccine matter when it comes to how well you’ll be protected, both against infection and against serious disease?