Health Canada has approved the Novavax vaccine against COVID-19, which will add a fifth option to Canada’s arsenal to fight the coronavirus — and could convince people who are hesitant to get vaccinated.
The protein-based vaccine is the first of its kind to be approved in Canada. Experts believe that a vaccine without mRNA could convince some hesitant people who have still not received a dose of vaccine.
Health Canada said in a statement that clinical trials have found Nuvaxovid to be 90% effective in preventing symptomatic COVID-19 and 100% effective in preventing serious illness.
In addition, “preliminary and exploratory data” show that Nuvaxovid produces neutralizing antibodies against the Omicron variant, says Health Canada.
Nuvaxocid is approved in Canada for adults 18 years of age and older. It is given in two doses, 21 days apart.
The American company Novavax had filed its initial application in January 2021, then submitted an addition last August. Its vaccine has already been licensed in other countries, including the UK, Europe, Australia and Singapore.
Ottawa also signed an agreement last year to produce the Novavax vaccine in Canada. A factory is built in Montreal, at the site of the National Research Council of Canada, rue Royalmount.
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