Novavax vaccine: Where to find and book to get a jab in Australia

Hundreds of thousands of unjabbed Aussies can get their Novavax jab from Monday. Here is where you can get the newest Covid-19 vaccine.

The long-awaited rollout of Australia’s first protein-based Covid-19 vaccine is officially getting underway.

Novavax will be available as part of the national vaccine program from Monday.

The Novavax jab, which was approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) in January, is available at GP clinics, community pharmacies and state-run vaccine hubs.

Almost 95 per cent of Australians aged 16 and older have received two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine, but authorities are “hoping” the handful of adults yet to be jabbed will now come forward.

“Despite high vaccination rates in Australia, there has been a demand for a protein-based formula,” Health Minister Greg Hunt said.

“For some people, the arrival of Novavax will be the extra push they need to get their first jab and kick start their protection against Covid-19.”

This is the first protein Covid-19 vaccine to receive approval in Australia.

Unlike the BioNTech-Pfizer and Moderna jabs that are created using mRNA technology, protein vaccines have been tried and tested for decades.

The Novavax vaccine is the first vaccine ever launched by the US-based biotech in its 34-year history. The company’s president of research and development, Greg Glenn, said it would be a strong competitor in the Australian covid vaccine stable.

He told the Financial Times that the mRNA vaccines have some “safety” and issues in terms of adverse side effects, which would make Novavax a particularly attractive option when Covid-19 becomes endemic.

“Myocarditis. I mean it really happens,” he said. “The assessment has been made today that the risk and the outcome of that, which is you know not infrequent, is balanced with the risk of getting Covid … But the presentation is pretty bad. People who have myocarditis- they have severe chest pain, it’s difficult for the family and 96 per cent get hospitalised.”

Here’s what you need to know and where you can find the latest jab and where you can get it across Australia:

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Novavax uses a traditional vaccine technology by using purified pieces of the actual SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus spike protein to spur the production of antibodies. Two 0.5ml doses are required 21 days apart.

If a person gets the jab, their immune system recognises the protein as foreign and produces natural defences. The vaccine cannot replicate, nor can it cause Covid-19.

TGA head Professor John Skerritt and Health Minister Greg Hunt on Thursday said it may be the vaccine needed to convince the unvaxxed to get Covid protection.

“There are some individuals, and even social media groups who have for whatever reason been worried about new technology, even though the foundational technology for these vaccines such as Pfizer and Moderna and for other vaccines such as AstraZeneca have been around for some years,” Prof Skerritt said.

Similarly, Mr Hunt said “some people had waited” for Novavax, and “hopefully” the approval of the jab will encourage some of the remaining 5 per cent of the unvaccinated adult population to come forward.

HOW EFFECTIVE IS IT?

Two trials involving more than 45,000 people in the US, Mexico and the UK resulted in efficacy of about 90 per cent with only mild or moderate side effects.

Novavax said its vaccine was most effective against the original Covid strain, as well as the Alpha variant first detected in the UK.

The company has not conducted studies on the Delta strain.

“There is currently limited data on the efficacy of Nuvaxovid against other variants of concern, including Omicron,” the EMA said.

A phase 3 paediatric trial in the US is also testing up to 3000 adolescents aged 12-17 years.

Novavax said it could start making variant-specific doses from January.

CAN IT BE TAKEN AS A BOOSTER SHOT?

The jab will be available to people aged 18 and older for primary vaccination against Covid-19. Further studies into the use of Novavax in children and as boosters are ongoing.

CAN IT CAUSE ADVERSE REACTIONS?

Novavax has said severe reactions are “infrequent and there were no safety concerns related to vaccination”.

The most common adverse reactions observed during clinical studies were headache, nausea or vomiting, myalgia, arthralgia, injection site tenderness/pain, fatigue and malaise.

HOW IS IT STORED?

Novavax’ Covid-19 vaccine is packaged as a ready-to-use liquid formulation in a vial containing 10 doses. The vaccine is stored at 2°- 8° Celsius, meaning the shots can be stored at normal refrigerator temperatures, averting the need for the freezers required for some other Covid-19 vaccines.

IS IT SAFE?

The TGA says the review process of Nuvaxovid was “rigorous”.

It added: “The decision to provisionally approve the vaccine was also informed by expert advice from the Advisory Committee on Vaccines (ACV), an independent committee with expertise in scientific, medical and clinical fields including consumer representation.”

Originally published as Novavax vaccine: Where to find and book to get a jab in Australia