The Grey Bruce Public Health Unit. (Matt Hermiz/Bayshore Broadcasting)
The Grey Bruce Health Unit says it has received a limited supply of the Novavax Covid-19 vaccine.
Public Health says the protein-based, non-mRNa Novavax Nuvaxovid vaccine was approved by Health Canada in February for use in adults aged 18 and over.
A release from the Health Unit says the Novavax shot can be an alternative for people with allergies to mRNA vaccines or for individuals who are unable or unwilling to receive an mRNA vaccine.
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.
The Grey Bruce Health Unit says it 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.
The National Advisory Committee on Immunization 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.