UVA Health doctor weighs in on protein COVID-19 vaccine

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - A fourth COVID-19 shot is being considered by the Food and Drug Administration.

Novavax’s protein coronavirus vaccine could be a game-changer for some vaccine skeptics.

Doctor Bill Petri with UVA Health says protein vaccines have been used for years to prevent things like hepatitis B and shingles.

“It’s like we’ve always had, but this nanoparticle approach is much better,” Dr. Petri said. “They actually did their tests at the same time as Pfizer and Moderna, but it’s taken forever to ramp up production of this vaccine. So that’s the one thing I don’t know is like how available it’ll be right away.”

The Novavax COVID-19 shot is already approved in parts of Europe now.

“The really good news though, even though these vaccines miss a little bit against omicron, they keep you out of the hospital. They kept me out of the hospital this week, so it’s really good,” Petri said.

Dr. Petri says we’ve going to see a revolution in vaccines for other illnesses over the next decade or two as new technologies continue to evolve.

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