A survey of frontline healthcare workers suggests a protein-based COVID-19 vaccine may cause fewer symptoms and less work disruption compared to mRNA options.


RT’s Three Key Takeaways:

  1. Reduced Symptom Frequency: Healthcare workers receiving the protein-based Novavax vaccine were significantly less likely to report systemic or local side effects within 48 hours of vaccination compared to those receiving the Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA vaccine.
  2. Impact on Productivity: The study found that recipients of the protein-based vaccine lost 50% fewer work hours and 66% fewer productive hours due to post-vaccination symptoms.
  3. Workforce Stability Benefits: Lower reactogenicity and reduced daily life disruption suggest the protein-based platform may be a valuable option for hospital systems looking to minimize staffing challenges during vaccination programs.


Healthcare workers and first responders who received the Novavax protein-based COVID-19 vaccine experienced significantly fewer side effects and fewer lost work hours than those who received the Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA vaccine, according to data published in Open Forum Infectious Diseases.

The prospective, interventional study, known as SHIELD, examined the impact of vaccine reactogenicity on 588 participants from Salt Lake City and surrounding areas. Researchers compared the updated 2024–2025 adjuvanted protein-based Novavax (NVX) vaccine with the Pfizer-BioNTech (PFZ) mRNA vaccine to determine how symptoms affected the daily lives and productivity of essential personnel.

Two days after vaccination, NVX recipients were significantly less likely to report systemic symptoms, such as fatigue, muscle pain, and headache, or local symptoms at the injection site. Specifically, the protein-based vaccine group lost an average of 0.7 work hours and 0.8 productive hours, while the mRNA group lost 1.4 work hours and 2.4 productive hours.

“Fewer reactogenicity symptoms following COVID-19 vaccination suggest use of the 2024–2025 adjuvanted protein-based NVX vaccine as an immunization option with a lower impact on daily life,” the study authors concluded. They noted that these findings could help inform hospital systems and clinicians regarding vaccine tolerability, which may influence behavior among healthcare personnel.

The research team used a modified Sheehan Disability Scale to measure functional impairment across work, social, and family life. Results indicated that PFZ recipients reported higher rates of disruption to work or school activities (54.3% vs 39.3%) and family or home responsibilities (71.2% vs 51.2%) compared to the NVX group.

While both vaccine types have demonstrated high efficacy in preventing severe illness, the study suggests that the underlying vaccine platforms contribute to different side effect profiles. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) currently recommends both platforms for the 2024–2025 season.

Understanding these differences is particularly important for high-risk occupations where even short-term symptoms can affect staffing. The study authors stated that addressing concerns about side effects may help reduce vaccine hesitancy, which remains a challenge in both the general public and the healthcare workforce.

Fewer than 17% of all recipients reported lingering symptoms such as fever or muscle pain by the seventh day, indicating that most reactions were transient. The researchers suggested that the protein-based option could be a valuable asset for future vaccination programs to address concerns regarding safety and side effects.


Reference

Yoon S, et al. mRNA and Protein Subunit COVID-19 Vaccine Reactogenicity and Their Relationship to Productivity for Healthcare Workers and First Responders. Open Forum Infectious Diseases. 2026 Apr. 13:4. doi.org/10.1093/ofid/ofag141