There is a new option available among the COVID-19 vaccines.

The Novavax vaccine was approved in July by the Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The vaccine is a primary series of two shots, approved for people ages 18 and over who have not been vaccinated against COVID. It has not yet been approved for booster shots.

It is available locally at Gaughn’s Drug Store.

According to a letter sent from Warren General Hospital Medical Director Dr. Keith Price to the staff of the hospital and Warren Medical Group, “COVID is not over yet. In the U.S., between 350 and 400 people die every day from COVID.”

“The number of people recovering from acute COVID but who have ‘long COVID’ symptoms – fatigue, depression, headaches, brain fog, shortness of breath, etc., for more than three months – is anywhere from 10 to 30 percent,” Price said.

“The virus continues to mutate,” he said. “Who knows what the next variant will bring?”

He encouraged hospital personnel to “stay up to date on your COVID boosters if you’ve been vaccinated” and “get the Novavax injections if you haven’t been vaccinated and were hesitant about the mRNA technology used to manufacture the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines.”

Novavax is different from the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines.

“Novavax… was developed using protein-based methods, the same more ‘traditional’ principles used to make the shingles, hepatitis B, HPV, and flu vaccines,” Price said. “This technique for making immunizations has been utilized for over 30 years.”

The side effects of the Novavax vaccine are pain at the injection site, and the potential for fever, headaches, and muscle aches, Price said.

An appointment for a vaccine may be made by clicking on the ‘vaccine scheduling’ tab at www.gaughns.com.

On Wednesday, Gov. Tom Wolf, Acting Secretary of Health Dr. Denise Johnson, and Acting Secretary of Human Services Meg Snead encouraged “parents and children to get vaccinated against COVID-19 before heading back to school this fall.”

“Leaders also echoed the importance of receiving required, routine vaccinations ahead of returning to school.”

A COVID-19 vaccine is not required for students attending Warren County School District in the fall.