Well, the New Kid in Town (The Eagles) is the sub-unit vaccine by Novavax; it was approved by the FDA this week for the primary vaccine series of two and I am hopeful it will receive booster approval very soon. So, if you have been hesitant about getting the COVID vaccine, please consider holding off and getting this soon-to-come sub-unit vaccine as your primary series. Further, when people ask me if they should get a second booster (and you know who I'm talking to!), I generally say no, wait for a better vaccine. The current vaccines don't give any protection against the current variant, BA-5. The better vaccine is almost here.

There are many reasons that the new sub-unit vaccine is superior to the current mRNA vaccines:

• It's a traditional vaccine; the immune system is presented with the antigen (spike protein) and we quickly gain immunity.

• With mRNA vaccines, the body is given instruction by the mRNA to our ribosomes to make the spike protein; the immune system sees it and then we make antibodies.

• The mRNA vaccines need cold storage at very low temperatures and have a short shelf life.  The sub-unit vaccine has a longer shelf life and is stored in a refrigerator which makes it easier for transportation, particularly to third world countries.

• The mRNA vaccines give short-term protection, the sub-unit vaccine lasts longer.

• The sub-unit vaccine has activity against all the variants while the current vaccines offer no protection against Omicron.

• The safety profile of the new vaccine is better; the incidence of heart inflammation for mRNA is 17/100,000, for the sub-unit 10/100,000 (which is the same incidence for people who did not receive the vaccine).

•  It seems to me that this vaccine will be a better choice for young children.

• Do not misinterpret this information! The 1st generation mRNA vaccines were crucially important; it is calculated that the mRNA vaccines may have saved over 200,000 lives, but moving forward, I think we have a better option.

Why are we not hearing more about this?

• First, I think people are just worn out and maybe don't want to get into the details to sort this out. Yet, it is important, because the way we will keep this virus under control is with more durable and effective vaccines.

• Omicron BA-5 is thought to be more contagious than measles, which is the most contagious virus to date. How did we beat measles? With a great, long-lasting vaccine.

•  This is a multi-billion-dollar business and is predominated by the Goliath, Pfizer, which just signed a $3.2 billion dollar deal the US Government to provide more mRNA vaccines.

• The Bethesda company, Novavax, a small company that has never shown a profit, is the David.

On a musical note: Humble and Kind by Tim McGraw by Dave Mason

On a lighter note:

As a reminder, I'm updating you periodically. I continue to enjoy writing these updates. Initially, these were only sent to my patients, however, I've been humbled to learn that, through social media, these writings have been forwarded and re-forwarded to many. This has brought me great joy to know that this simple act of sharing facts, thoughts, opinions, and hopes have touched you in some way. Hopefully I've been able to reassure you, maybe make you smile and laugh, soothe your worries, and comfort you. And maybe, just maybe, I've helped you to be in the moment!

Reach out. Stay connected. Stay home. Save lives. The power of one. Be well.

Feel free to forward this on: spread the word, not the virus.

HAO

24/7

Harry Oken, M.D.

Adjunct Professor of Medicine

University of Maryland, School of Medicine

Office 410-910-7500

Fax   410-910-2310 

Cell   443-324-0823