Shares of Novavax Inc (NASDAQ:NVAX) are trading higher by 13.5% to $11.09 during Tuesday's session following a CDC report highlighting a sharp increase in respiratory illnesses across the U.S. The surge, attributed to higher cases of seasonal influenza, COVID-19, and RSV, has reignited interest in vaccine developers.

Additionally, the Louisiana Department of Health this week reported the death of the first U.S. human case of H5N1, a patient over 65 with underlying conditions who contracted the virus from backyard and wild birds, with no further cases or person-to-person transmission identified.

Heightened awareness of H5N1 risks may boost demand for avian flu vaccines and related research initiatives.

What Else: Novavax stands out for its non-mRNA approach to combating infectious diseases. The company's flagship product, Nuvaxovid, a COVID-19 vaccine, provides an alternative for individuals who cannot or prefer not to receive mRNA-based vaccines.

Additionally, Novavax is advancing its efforts to develop combination vaccines targeting COVID-19 and influenza, which could streamline immunization efforts against multiple respiratory viruses.

The current public health landscape could underscore the relevance of Novavax's portfolio. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the company proved its ability to scale production as a significant player in combating respiratory illnesses.

Read Also: Why CureVac Stock Is Rising

How To Buy NVAX Stock

By now you're likely curious about how to participate in the market for Novavax – be it to purchase shares, or even attempt to bet against the company.

Buying shares is typically done through a brokerage account. You can find a list of possible trading platforms here. Many will allow you to buy 'fractional shares,' which allows you to own portions of stock without buying an entire share. For example, some stock, like Berkshire Hathaway, can cost thousands of dollars to own just one share. However, if you only want to invest a fraction of that, brokerages will allow you to do so.

In the case of Novavax, which is trading at $10.55 as of publishing time, $100 would buy you 9.48 shares of stock.

If you're looking to bet against a company, the process is more complex. You'll need access to an options trading platform, or a broker who will allow you to 'go short' a share of stock by lending you the shares to sell. The process of shorting a stock can be found at this resource. Otherwise, if your broker allows you to trade options, you can either buy a put option, or sell a call option at a strike price above where shares are currently trading – either way it allows you to profit off of the share price decline.

According to data from Benzinga Pro, NVAX has a 52-week high of $23.86 and a 52-week low of $3.53.