COVID-19 Novavax Vaccine Booster Now Available for Individuals 18 and Older

Novavax booster dose option will be available at HCPH sites starting today!

Following approvals from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS), individuals 18 years and older who have completed their COVID-19 primary vaccine series will have the option to receive a COVID-19 Novavax monovalent booster vaccine instead of the updated (bivalent) Pfizer or Moderna booster vaccine at Harris County Public Health (HCPH) vaccination sites. Individuals who may not be able to receive an mRNA (Moderna or Pfizer) vaccine as a result of an allergy to a component of the vaccine will now have the Novavax booster as an option. The Novavax booster option will be available to eligible individuals regardless of their primary series vaccine type. The booster dose is recommended for individuals 6 months after they have completed their J&J, Moderna, Pfizer or Novavax primary vaccine series. The Novavax primary series first became available to the public in August so those who first received their Novavax primary series are not yet eligible for the Novavax booster dose. Individuals who would prefer the Novavax monovalent booster dose are encouraged to call 832-927-8787 for scheduling or visit any HCPH vaccination site to sign up. Novavax uses a different technique than the other COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna. Instead of using mRNA, which provides the instructions for your body to create the COVID-19 spike protein which in turn induces your body’s immune response, Novavax's vaccine injects a small protein that your body detects and triggers its immune response. The Novavax vaccine is based on a well-established method of vaccine development that has been used for years in other vaccines such as the human papillomavirus (HPV), hepatitis B, influenza, and shingles. COVID-19 primary and booster vaccines available at Harris County Public Health sites include:

• Pfizer-BioNTech (mRNA vaccine)
• Moderna (mRNA vaccine)
• Novavax (protein subunit vaccine)

Moderna, Novavax, and Pfizer are recommended for primary vaccination and Moderna and Pfizer are recommended for booster doses. A person’s eligibility for a booster dose depends on age and the time interval from the last dose received. Fully vaccinated is considered 2 weeks after the final dose in a primary series. People are considered up to date with COVID-19 vaccines when they receive all the doses in their primary series and a booster, when eligible. HCPH urges residents to get vaccinated against COVID-19 if they have not done so already and get a booster shot, for those who qualify. All COVID-19 vaccines and boosters are safe, effective, and provide strong protection against severe illness, hospitalizations, and death. Vaccines provided by HCPH are free and appointments are not required though encouraged. If you would like to schedule an appointment, go to ReadyHarris.org, vacstrac.hctx.net, or call 832-927-8787. To find a location near you, click here.