vaccine

PSA: Novavax Covid Vaccine

/ Tracy Abell / 9 Comments

But first, a word from our sponsor:

Adult and young blue Jay.    July 13, 2024.    Photo by Zippy.

Only kidding. Another Day On the Planet has no sponsor which is why you never see any strategically-placed cans of Pringles or bottles of Dos Equis on this blog. But if there was a sponsor, BIRDS would be a great choice!

I actually just wanted to offer information and resources on the updated Covid vaccines, specifically the Novavax vaccine. Why? Because I’m realizing not many people know about it, in large part because the government is pushing Pfizer and/or Moderna. (Despite Novavax being submitted for approval in July before the other vaccines, the FDA approved Novavax last, and only after much public pressure via emails and phone calls.)

A recent study (on a previous strain) showed that while Moderna reduced the viral load by 100x, Novavax reduced the viral load by 600x.  Novavax also provides protection for both the upper and lower respiratory tracts. Many (including Zippy and me) also like Novavax because there are fewer side effects. The two times I’ve gotten Novavax were much easier than my previous Pfizer and Moderna shots. Here’s a handy graphic explaining the other benefits of Novavax.

I follow many Covid-aware people on Twitter such as virologists and immunocompromised people, and the consensus is that Novavax is the superior vaccine that offers the greatest protection. If you’re interested, the Novavax locator site will help you find the vaccine close to you.

NOTE: if you do opt for Novavax, be very clear about that when you go into the pharmacy because there are many anecdotal instances right now of people requesting Novavax and having the pharmacist instead offer Pfizer (because they see it as the default) or grabbing a syringe of Pfizer or Moderna out of habit. When I showed up for my appointment (in which I’d requested Novavax in the online form), I said I was there for Novavax (as opposed to “Covid vaccine”) to make sure we were all clear on my intentions from the outset. It’s also a very good idea to ask to see the label on the syringe just to be absolutely sure. The pharmacy I visited was very busy and those workers have LOTS on their minds, so it’s totally fine to clarify.

Please let me know if you have any other questions because I can probably point you to the answers.

Remember, the more we can do to curb the mutation and spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the healthier and happier we will be. 🙂

Edited to add: BonaFide Masks is where I get KN-95 masks (ear-loops) which I mostly give out to others who want to mask but don’t want to wear a mask with head-straps. Use code BFM25 for 25% off your order through October 1. Free shipping!

Emma Jean Snow Queen

/ Tracy Abell / 4 Comments

I spent most of the day reading in bed as my response to the second vaccine dose. The electrolytes and ibuprofen worked wonders and I rallied late afternoon to walk in the sunshine with Zippy and Emma. In shady parts of the neighborhood, there were still piles of snow left from the plows and our exuberant doggo took every opportunity to “submarine” in those piles, roll around on her back, or perform a combination of both. It never failed to bring a smile and I regret not getting pics.

April 16, 2021

This shot from earlier in the week will have to suffice. Take this backyard energy and crank it up about five notches to get an idea of Emma’s happiness level today.

Dose 1: mixed feelings

/ Tracy Abell / 1 Comment

This morning I received my first dose of the Pfizer vaccine. While I felt gratitude and relief to be halfway to fully vaccinated, I also felt anger, disgust, and shame. As with everything else in our system that puts profits over people (and planet), the Covid vaccine distribution is unequal. I’ve already blogged about some of the ways access is inequitable here in the U.S. (not to mention incarcerated people’s lack of access), but the situation is even more dire around the world.

Image by Mary Pahlke from Pixabay

The global death toll is currently at 2.77 million. Human decency would dictate that vaccines and vaccine patents be freely shared.  Nope. Big Pharma isn’t satisfied with the billions they make each year. They’re lobbying the Biden administration to clamp down on countries trying to increase production. Read this article and weep. And rage.

As the needle pierced my skin this morning, I thought about this excerpt from that article:

Albert Bourla, the CEO of Pfizer, mocked proposals for sharing intellectual property as “nonsense” and “dangerous” at an industry forum last year. The vaccines are netting drug companies $21 billion this year alone, according to one estimate by Bernstein Research. 

There you have it: Big Pharma scoffing at the the World Health Organization (WHO). Silly WHO, thinking people’s lives matter more than intellectual property.

So yeah, not totally thrilled to get that Pfizer shot in the arm.