Novavax uses a protein-based vaccine strategy, which means people getting the vaccine receive a protein made by the virus that their body’s immune systems then see as foreign and mount responses against. mRNA vaccines, by contrast, include snippets of mRNA genetic material from the COVID-19 virus’ spike protein.

On Aug. 22, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced the approval of a new Novavax COVID vaccine, as well as updated versions of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines. According to NPR, this latest vaccine is already being distributed and administered across the country.

With the approval of Moderna's updated COVID-19 vaccine, doctors are hoping the shots will be available soon and Albertans will opt to roll up their sleeves to get one.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted emergency use authorization for an updated version of the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine amid the summer surge of infections. The new version of the vaccine “more closely targets” variants circulating nationwide,