Brace for Impact: 6/29/26
Plus, Novavax vs mRNA part 1.
Brace for Impact is every Monday and Thursday, covering news, science, and public health from a progressive COVID-conscious perspective.
Everyone should be COVID-conscious to be called progressive, but we’re not there yet. If you missed my previous article detailing the show, you can find it here.
We’ve been doing twice-weekly updates on Trump’s failed presidency, the problematic antics of RFK Jr., the situation in Iran, developing public health issues, developing Long COVID science, and whatever else is going on that you should know about.
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mRNA vs Nuvaxovid for COVID
We have a few months before COVID vaccines roll out again with variants updated to XFG. We had been trying to push the updated vaccine release to summer, specifically as soon as the end of June, to slow the summer wave.
This would allow better protection in both the summer and winter, because, as I would prefer there be a full transition to Nuvaxovid as a 2nd-generation vaccine, we’re far from that reality, and mRNA use will remain the primary vaccination for most people. So, doing it this way will maximize the benefits and reduce any risks.
Having a summer release will both meet the demands of the summer wave and leave people ready for a winter booster without worry of an IgG4 response. Nuvaxovid would create year-round support, but we currently have an issue convincing folks that this is one of many benefits not being advertised to them.
Unfortunately, none of these changes have been even remotely possible under the chaotic HHS amid RFK Jr.’s assault on public health. Frankly, I’m happy we hung on and that he wasn’t able to make too many changes for vaccines, as most of his changes were struck down in court.
I would be a lot happier if we had gotten pediatric expansion handled by now.
We will, however, be starting the push now for both pediatric expansion and moving the variant selection meeting up to next year. So far, the FDA has been unwilling to change the meeting times while also promising that mRNA can be updated more quickly or pivot to new variants… It’s the same problem: the FDA has no mechanism to achieve that change, as explained again at the last meeting, so pushing to create one is an achievable goal, and I’ll have more on that later.
If we can create that mechanism, then we can change the timing of the meetings.
In the meantime, we need to start preparing for the next COVID vaccine update, which means understanding how to communicate that better protection is available.
I’ve created a presentation to explain it, and we have some time to make it a better document that can help you convince folks more easily.
So, please let me know what you think as we go through this in the comments.
The general idea is that we are measuring these vaccines in a way that hides benefits from the public. I’m not sure why someone would want to do that, but I am going to pretend it’s all just a big misunderstanding, because there is ample data demonstrating benefits the public is not being informed of.
The benefits are being lost in the shuffle, and folks simply don’t understand the data.
They rely on interpretations of other people’s interpretations, and as someone who regularly attends VRBPAC meetings at the FDA for vaccines…
There is a vast discrepancy between what happens in the meetings and what you hear online from influencers trying to convince you that something else happened.
We’re going to cover it one slide at a time and work through the argument so these benefits are not only clear to you but also clear enough for you to explain them to your family and loved ones.
That way, they can also get the maximum available protection while they still can.
Currently, in the live document, you can find:
1. Fewer AE: Serious adverse events / PACVS Reactogenicity / routine side effects.
2. Higher Antibodies: Vaccine response continues to build with boosting.
3. Less Waning: Year-round protection without gaps.
4. Fewer Updates: In two separate years, Nuvaxovid has not required an update when mRNA did.
5. Targeting More Variants: Targeting the full S2 means it fights more variants.
6. Higher Real-World Protection: Nuvaxovid outperforms the ghost of mRNA.
7. Lower risk of myocarditis: Nuvaxovid got the warning label, but mRNA has the risk.
8. No IgG4 Class Switch: Quality of antibodies (IgG1 & IgG3 vs IgG4 class switch).
And upcoming slides will include (though that’s subject to change):
9. Better T Cells for Virus with ACE2 entry: Type of T cell matters - CD4 and white blood cells > CD8.
10. Saponin-based adjuvant: Benefits of natural immune modulation.
11. Innate Immune Boosting: Innate immune benefits, making vaccines work when they normally wouldn’t.
12. Humoral Immune Boosting: Matrix-M’s effect on our IgG systems.
13. Priming Interferon Response: Interferon responses; therapeutic qualities.
14. Mucosal Response: Mucosal/Upper respiratory tract response.
15. Superior Imprinting Updating: Update imprinting with a single shot.
16. Long COVID: Reducing symptomatic persistence and long-term risk.
17. Improved Responses From Other Vaccines: Adding Matrix-M to existing antigens will, and co-administering with other vaccines might, improve the response.
18. Lowered Risk of Vaccine Injury: Consistent with mRNA vaccines, demonstrated by Moderna’s switch to its new version of the antigen.
19. Argument for a new three-shot series.
It’s a lot to take in, that’s why we’re going to take it slow and stay open to questions through the entire process.
There are no bad questions.
Call to action.
A lot of people have tried many different repurposed drugs for Long COVID, and while most have failed, that isn’t always the case. Sometimes it works.
And if you want to see the benefit you experienced extended to others…
This is your chance.
The deadline has already been extended once, and now you have until July 11th.
Personally, I’d like to see more mAbs from previous variants, or Invivyd’s infusion treatment for COVID prevention, repurposed for Long COVID.
We proved in 2022 that persistence is driving a large portion of the disease, and this particular feature is degenerative, meaning it is the most dangerous aspect.
And while it’s good you can use Nuvaxovid every two months, the persistent variants from cases early in the pandemic are simply too far away from the antibodies we’re training our immune system to protect us from now.
That means we need to repurpose older vaccine antigens or infusion antivirals that are currently approved only for treating acute COVID or preventing it.
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Just exceedingly hard to follow the primimg series when it keeps not being available. I also really hope we can get the updated timing for summer releases. Stinks to be waiting for a booster during the summer wave.
Great to have the comparison Part 1. Thanks, Don.
Son lives in South Africa and cannot get any Covid shot there. He is coming home to visit next week for a week. Should he get mRNA because there’s no Novavax right now? His last shot was one Novavax two years ago. I do not know how much Covid is in Cape Town this winter or the strains. If you say yes, any preference Pfizer or Moderna? I know, I’d much rather he get Novavax.