The Grey Bruce Health Unit announced last week that it has received a limited number of doses of the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine, which provides another option for people who wish to be vaccinated against the virus.
The protein-based, non-mRNA Novavax Nuvaxovid vaccine – approved by Health Canada in February for use in adults aged 18 and over without contraindications – can be an alternative for people with allergies to mRNA vaccines or for individuals who are unable or unwilling to receive an mRNA vaccine, according to the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI).
Novavax is the first COVID-19 protein recombinant subunit vaccine authorized in Canada. Protein subunit vaccines are already used to protect people against other diseases, such as Hepatitis B.
“We are thrilled to have received our first shipment of Novavax vaccines at the Grey Bruce Health Unit, which will assist in our goal of enabling as many people as possible to be immunized as quickly as possible against COVID-19,” says Grey Bruce Health Unit physician consultant Dr. Rim Zayed.
“This is important because we know vaccination is the best defence against severe illness and death as a result of COVID-19, especially for people in high-risk populations.”
The Grey Bruce Health Unit is now contacting people who added their name to a waiting list for Novavax. Others interested in receiving the vaccine are being asked to call Public Health at 519-376-9420.
NACI continues to preferentially recommend the use of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines for most people due to the excellent protection they provide against severe illness and hospitalization and their well-known safety profiles.
