Three million Novavax doses touch down in Australia ahead of final TGA approval

Australians will soon have access to a fourth Covid vaccine after millions of doses touched down in Sydney overnight.

Millions of Novavax vaccinations have arrived in Australia giving the country a new weapon against Covid.

The shipment touched down at Sydney Airport on Monday night from Singapore as part of 51 million doses Australia has ordered.

The vaccine will be available from February 21 at GPs, pharmacies and state hubs across the country.

Lab scientists during Novavax’s clinical trial.

The doses will have to undergo batch testing by the Therapeutic Goods Administration before being given the final green light.

Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said he hopes the brand’s availability will appeal to those who were previously vaccine hesitant.

“Obviously we have a first dose national vaccination rate of 95.2 per cent, and we know some people have waited for Novavax,” he said.

“Hopefully this will encourage those people in that less than five per cent to come forward and be vaccinated.”

Novavax will be the first traditional protein-based vaccine to be made available in Australia.

Pfizer and Moderna are mRNA vaccines which gives a genetic instruction on fighting Covid to people’s bodies.

Novavax is the fourth vaccine available to Australians with millions of AstraZeneca doses also used during the rollout.