The Novavax COVID-19 vaccine was associated with lower odds of systemic (OR 0.40; 95% CI 0.21-0.75) and local reactogenicity symptoms at 2 days post-vaccination compared to the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.
Cohort (n=588)
Does the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine reduce reactogenicity symptoms and functional impairment compared to the Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA vaccine in healthcare workers and first responders?
The adjuvanted protein-based Novavax COVID-19 vaccine demonstrated lower early reactogenicity and less impact on productivity compared to the Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA vaccine.
Effect estimate: OR 0.40 (95% CI 0.21-0.75)
Abstract Objectives To compare the percentage of participants that experienced any solicited reactogenicity symptom after 1 dose of the updated 2024–2025 adjuvanted protein-based Novavax (NVX; JN.1) or Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA (PFZ; KP.2) COVID-19 vaccine within 2 and 7 days post-vaccination and examine its impact on daily life. Methods In this prospective, interventional, real-world study (SHIELD/NCT06633835), previously vaccinated healthcare workers (HCWs) and first responders (FRs) from Salt Lake City, Utah, United States, and surrounding areas self-selected to receive NVX or PFZ. At 2 and 7 days post-vaccination, participants self-reported on 11 vaccine-related reactogenicity symptoms and functional impairment using a 5-item modified Sheehan Disability Scale. Results Five hundred eighty-eight participants completed the day 2 questionnaire (NVX, n =219; PFZ, n =369); 583 completed the day 7 questionnaire (NVX, n =217; PFZ, n =366). Two days post-vaccination, NVX recipients were less likely to report a systemic (OR =0.40; 95% CI, .21–.75) or local (OR =0.10; 95% CI, .03–.33) reactogenicity symptom and lost 50% fewer work hours (0.7 vs 1.4 hours) and 66% fewer productive hours (0.8 vs 2.4 hours) than PFZ recipients. There was little to no difference between vaccines at 7 days post-vaccination. Conclusions Fewer reactogenicity symptoms following COVID-19 vaccination suggest use of the 2024–2025 adjuvanted protein-based NVX vaccine as an immunization option with a lower impact on daily life. These findings may inform policymakers, clinicians, and hospital systems regarding vaccine tolerability, which may influence HCW and FR behavior regarding COVID-19 vaccines.
Yoon et al. (Tue,) conducted a cohort in COVID-19 vaccination reactogenicity (n=588). Novavax (NVX; JN.1) COVID-19 vaccine vs. Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA (PFZ; KP.2) COVID-19 vaccine was evaluated on Systemic reactogenicity symptom at 2 days post-vaccination (OR 0.40, 95% CI 0.21-0.75). The Novavax COVID-19 vaccine was associated with lower odds of systemic (OR 0.40; 95% CI 0.21-0.75) and local reactogenicity symptoms at 2 days post-vaccination compared to the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.