Search:

A summary of presentations from the weekly Summit partner webinars

August 22, 2024 – Webinar: mRNA Vaccines: Scientific Update and Overcoming Clinician and Patient Hesitation

This one-hour webinar was co-sponsored by the NAIIS and the American College of Physicians (ACP).

The National Adult and Influenza Immunization Summit (NAIIS, “Summit”) co-sponsored with the American College of Physicians (ACP), a webinar to update physicians on current mRNA technology, including the latest on mRNA vaccines. This webinar discussed concerns expressed by both clinicians and patients regarding mRNA vaccinations and provided education and talking points to address these concerns.

Speakers:

Dr. Jason Goldman, President-elect of the American College of Physicians (ACP), Affiliate Assistant Professor of Clinical Biomedical Science at the Florida Atlantic University, Charles E. Schmidt School of Medicine

Dr. LaTonya Washington, Vice President and Chief Medical Officer at Methodist Hospital North and serves as a Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center

VIEW SLIDES

Watch video recording

 

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

(updated September 3, 2024)

Background

FDA released the package inserts for the 2024-25 COVID-19 mRNA vaccines the same day as the webinar and CDC updated its COVID-19 Vaccine Interim Clinical Considerations on August 23, 2024. The Novavax 2024-25 COVID-19 vaccine Emergency Use Authorization was approved by FDA on August 30, 2024. The Question and Answers below provide clarification regarding 2024-25 COVID-19 vaccine recommendations. Additional information on 2024-25 COVID-19 vaccines and recommendations can be found at:

  1. CDC. Use of COVID-19 Vaccines in the United States: Interim Clinical Considerations. https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/clinical-considerations/covid-19-vaccines-us.html. (updated on August 23, 2024)
  2. CDC. General Best Practices for Immunization. https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/acip-recs/general-recs/index.html.
  3. Immunize.org. COVID-19 Vaccine Clinical Resources
  4. FDA package insert for COVID-19 vaccine from Moderna https://www.fda.gov/media/155675/download?attachment.
  5. FDA package insert for COVID-19 vaccine from Pfizer-BioNTech. https://www.fda.gov/media/151707/download?attachment.
  6. FDA-approved fact sheets for Novavax COVID-19 vaccine. https://www.fda.gov/vaccines-blood-biologics/coronavirus-covid-19-cber-regulated-biologics/novavax-covid-19-vaccine-adjuvanted#additional
  7. CDC August 30, 2024 statement regarding COVID-19 vaccine from Novavax:
    “FDA authorized Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine, Adjuvanted (2024 – 2025 Formula) under Emergency Use Authorization on August 30, 2024. This page will be updated soon with additional information.”

Webinar questions and answers (similar questions were consolidated) based on CDC’s updated Interim Clinical Considerations and FDA-approved vaccine package inserts

  1. For how long after becoming ill with COVID-19 should people wait before getting the updated 2024-25 COVID-19 vaccine?
    1. Per the CDC interim clinical guidance, people who recently had SARS-CoV-2 infection may consider delaying a COVID-19 vaccine dose by 3 months from symptom onset or positive test (if infection was asymptomatic). Studies have shown that increased time between infection and vaccination might result in an improved immune response to vaccination. Also, a low risk of reinfection has generally been observed in the months following infection. Individual factors such as risk of COVID-19 severe disease and current indicators of community transmission should be considered when determining whether to delay getting a COVID-19 vaccination after infection or get vaccinated after recovering from an acute infection.
  2. When do the same (homologous) COVID-19 vaccine brands need to be given, and when can patients get a different (heterologous) brand of COVID-19 vaccine?
    1. Children 6 months through 4 years of age, including those who are moderately or severely immunocompromised, should receive the same brand of vaccine for their initial vaccine series and for subsequent doses.
    2. People who are moderately or severely immunocompromised ages 5 years and older may receive age-appropriate heterologous additional doses after their initial 3-dose series.
    3. Other people do not need to get the same brand of vaccine after their initial vaccination.
  3. How long after getting a 2023-24 COVID-19 vaccine does CDC recommend waiting before getting the 2024-25 COVID-19 vaccine?
    1. CDC recommends that people wait at least 8 weeks (2 months per the FDA package inserts) after the most recent dose of 2023-24 vaccine before getting the 2024-25 vaccine.
  4. What does CDC recommend regarding getting more than one dose of 2024-25 vaccine?
    1. For people 6 months through 4 years who have completed an initial COVID-19 vaccine series and for people 5 years and older who are not moderately or severely immunocompromised, CDC recommends getting only one dose of the 2024-25 COVID-19 vaccine. This is different from 2023-24 when adults 65 years and older were recommended to get a second 2023-24 dose 4 or more months later if they wished to decrease their risk.
    2. For moderately or severely immunocompromised people 6 months of age and older, they may get an additional dose of the 2024-25 vaccine two months after their first 2024-25 COVID-19 vaccine. Additional doses may be given in consultation with their medical provider.
  5. Which SARS-CoV-2 variants are covered in the new vaccine approved by FDA today?
    1. Both messenger RNA (mRNA) COVID-19 vaccines encode the Spike glycoprotein(s) of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant lineage KP.2.
    2. CDC expresses no preference for either brand of COVID-19 mRNA vaccine.
  6. Do the mRNA vaccines target the same or different binding sites on the SARS-CoV-2 virus as the protein/AA vaccines?
    1. Per the package inserts, both mRNA COVID-19 vaccines are formulated to prevent KP.2-lineage SARS-CoV-2 infections.
  7. Can 2 different mRNA vaccines [COVID-19 mRNA vaccine and recently licensed RSV mRNA vaccine] be given together?
    1. CDC has no specific guidance regarding coadministration of mRNA vaccines to prevent two different pathogens, however CDC’s general best practices guidance allows for coadministration of different vaccines with very rare exceptions.
  8. Is there a downside in getting the new COVID-19 vaccine too early in view of the winter increase in disease?
    1. CDC recommends administering the 2024-25 vaccine as soon as it is available, and continuing to vaccinate with the 2024-25 vaccine for eligible people not yet vaccinated.

BACK TO TOP

Search: