The Defense Department is now offering Novavax as an option for COVID-19 vaccinations, according to an Aug. 29 news release.
On Aug. 19, the FDA updated the July 13 Emergency Use Authorization for the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine to include individuals 12 years of age or older. The vaccine uses technology used in other vaccines required by the military.
Michael Malanoski, MD, the deputy director of the Defense Health Agency, said that service members can indicate their preference for which vaccine they'd like.
"We now have a range of COVID-19 vaccines available at our military medical treatment facilities, and they all provide strong protection against hospitalization, severe illness and death," Dr. Malanoski said.
The vaccine has been well tolerated in clinical studies. The most common side effects include injection-site tenderness, headache, muscle pain and fatigue.