The US Foods and Drug Administration (FDA) and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have authorized the new Novavax’s Covid-19 vaccine as a first booster dose for the 18 years and older in the US.

The CDC said in a news release “Novavax’s COVID-19 vaccine, which will be available in the coming weeks, is an important tool in the pandemic and provides a more familiar type of COVID-19 vaccine technology for adults. Having multiple types of vaccines offers more options and flexibility for the public, jurisdictions, and vaccine providers.”

Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of CDC said in the news release “If you have been waiting for a COVID-19 vaccine built on a different technology than those previously available, now is the time to join the millions of Americans who have been vaccinated. With COVID-19 cases on the rise again across parts of the country, vaccination is critical to help protect against the complications of severe COVID-19 disease.”

President Joe Biden applauded the CDC decision in a statement, calling it “another step forward in our nation’s fight against the virus. The science and data are clear: vaccines continue to protect people from serious illness, hospitalizations, and death – and with BA.5 increasing infections, it is essential that people get themselves and their kids vaccinated and stay up to date on their COVID-19 vaccinations.”