then Add to Home Screen.
Approved for emergency use in mid-July, the Novavax vaccine presents the latest hope for reducing the number of National Guardsmen who aren't vaccinated against COVID-19.
About 45,000 soldiers and airmen have yet to get a COVID-19 shot, including those with concerns about side effects or religious objections to available vaccines.
Shortly after the vaccine received Food and Drug Administration emergency use approval July 13, the National Guard began ordering and distributing it to the states, according to Army Gen. Daniel R. Hokanson, the chief of the National Guard Bureau.
In a Military Times interview last week, Hokanson stressed concern about potentially losing Guardsmen during the grimmest recruiting environments in decades.
“Readiness is based on the number of people you have," he said. "We can’t afford to lose anybody."
Hokanson added leadership must “make sure we’re doing everything we can to get our folks vaccinated."
Unlike Pfizer and Moderna, the Maryland-based Novavax vaccine uses a protein made from moth cells and does not use contain polyethylene glycol, an ingredient found to cause allergies among some individuals.
The Novavax vaccine presents an alternative for those with religious objections to the Pfizer and Moderna versions.
Novavax's vaccines were not developed with fetal cell lines.
The Johnson & Johnson vaccine did use fetal cell lines in its development.
Lt. Col. David Sayers, the chief of preventive medicine, Air Force Medical Readiness Agency, noted in July that the Novavax vaccine uses technology that's existed since the 1980s.
“Novavax may accommodate those with sincerely held beliefs who felt limited in their options with the previous vaccine offering,” added Maj. Gen. Sharon Bannister, medical operations director, Air Force Surgeon General.
As of August 11, 89% of Army National Guard members have been vaccinated; none separated; and 8,254 were granted temporary exemptions.
Of 91 Army Guard members seeking medical exemptions, eight were approved, 64 disapproved.
None of the 1,497 Guardsmen seeking permanent religious exemptions have been approved, and 48 were disapproved.
The 105,000-member Air National Guard has achieved a 94.4% vaccination rate, which is slightly less than the 97.2% rate for the total force.
As of Aug. 9, the Department of the Air Force has approved 179 medical and 663 administrative exemptions.
Religious exemptions are a subset of the administrative category and, per the Air Force, are determined individually. Medical exemptions are determined by a member’s medical provider.
Hokanson noted the first drill weekend during which Novavax vaccinations would be available was Aug. 6-7.
Any measure of the vaccine's success, Hokanson continued, would not be known immediately.
National Guard Bureau spokesperson Maj. Matt Murphy told Military Times it would be at least 90 days before the military has any reportable data.
- By Jennifer Hickey
