Just released: Pretty remarkable 1-year durability data for Novavax 2-dose primary series. Though there is some expected waning, there was >65% efficacy at 1y (mRNA options typically wane to this level by ~4-5 months). Also fewer waning differences by age. sciencedirect.com/science/articl…
To illustrate age stratified data, I took NVX data from the Japan paper and compared w/ a BNT paper from Norway. For BNT, nAbs & IgG largely back to baseline levels in older individuals by 5m, but remain at protective level at 1y w/ NVX, and more similar to young ages throughout.
Long-term durability is challenging to assess due to hybrid immunity, mutations, etc. More long-term durability studies are needed. But this adds to evidence from other observational data and animal models re: NVX durability
Recent RCT: Co-administering NVX (COVID) & PCV20 (Pneumococcal) vaccines is as effective as when given separately, with no extra side effects.
This is key, as both diseases are major killers, and PCV may also reduce severe COVID by reducing pneumococcal carriage (🧵on this below)
SARS-CoV-2 & S. pneumo can increase severity together. Early in the pandemic, we used endemic hCoV data to explore risk factors for severe illness. We found high-density S. pneumo carriage increased the risk of severe disease w/ concurrent hCoV infection. journals.lww.com/pidj/fulltext/…
Nice coverage from Vox on some of the benefits of the Novavax COVID vaccine: similar effectiveness, fewer side effects, and potentially longer lasting protection.
Since concerns about the mRNA platform and side effects are leading causes of vaccine hesitancy, increasing awareness will increase uptake and have societal benefits.
Link to article: vox.com/even-better/39…
I've also found it effective to point out the novavax vaccine has similar side effects to routinely used vaccines that almost everyone has already received
Epidemiologists did remarkable work in the early days of COVID-19. Within months, they:
- Accurately predicted the timing of every major wave for the next 3 years.
- Warned SARS-CoV-2 would likely become endemic.
- Identified risk of aerosol transmission.
We knew from day 1 that airborne transmission was likely (like SARS-CoV-1).
As confusion w/ masks grew, we saw the urgent need to provide clarity on ventilation (e g. Excerpt from Drs. Prather @kprather88 and Milton, Oct 2020) science.org/doi/10.1126/sc… nejm.org/doi/full/10.10…
Leading epidemiologists also noted that herd immunity targets were likely unattainable for eliminating the virus through vaccination.
E g. excerpt from a Dec 2020 interview (prior to vaccine rollout) edhub.ama-assn.org/jn-learning/vi…
New RCT study shows the "conventional" Novavax COVID vaccine has a similar side effect profile to the routine meningococcal vaccine, and fewer side effects than the mRNA options.
Side effects are a leading cause of COVID vaccine hesitancy. This can help.
Both concerns about the mRNA platform and vaccine side effects are leading causes of hesitancy.
Being able to say the NVX vaccine has similar side effects to routine vaccines that most people are familiar with could be a useful tool.
Paper: sciencedirect.com/science/articl…
Lower reactogenicity with the novavax platform is fairly well established. The vaccine has a distinct immunologic response but is similarly effective and protective against infection and severe disease.
"Trust the experts" is generally a wise approach in many facets of life.
But in an era of Internet "experts" and Monday morning quarterbacks, sometimes we forget what expertise actually looks like.
Lessons from chess, pilots, and epidemiologists and applications to COVID, a 🧵
Chess: Do you know chess? Imagine being shown a chess board, with pieces placed as they were mid-game from a tournament 20 years ago, and being asked to recognize the game. Now imagine doing that with all the pieces replaced with identical discs.
Magnus Carlsen, chess grandmaster, does just that for multiple games shown to him without problem. He goes the extra mile and also shows the exact moves subsequently played from that position until the end of the chess game.
Preprint: comparison of mRNA & protein vaccines and neurodegenerative and neuroinflammatory responses to SARS-CoV-2.
Infection causes neurological damage.
Both vaccines generally protective, but among higher-risk mice, only the protein-based vaccine was protective.
First, the authors demonstrated that omicron had milder overall symptoms than the original Wuhan strain, but causes similar levels of neuron loss and neuroinflammation, consistent w/ risk of disease including Parkinsons.