Residents of the NWT, who were reluctant to receive the Covid-19 mRNA vaccine for personal or medical reasons, now have a new opportunity to be immunized with the arrival of the Novavax protein vaccine on site.
The Health and Social Services Authority of the North-West Territories announced the arrival of the first shipment of Novavax on 28 April. The vaccine is approved by Health Canada for all residents 18 years of age and older and is given in two doses eight weeks apart.
Proof of eligibility or a medical note is not required to qualify for the vaccine. However, Novavax has not yet been approved as a second dose after an mRNA vaccine. Anyone who has had an allergic reaction to their first dose of mRNA vaccine and wants to take Novavax as a second dose is encouraged to talk to their healthcare provider.
Unlike Pfizer and Moderna, Novavax is not an mRNA vaccine that “teaches” cells in the body how to produce proteins that elicit an immune response to the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Instead, it contains neutralized spike protein from the Covid virus itself.
In Yellowknife, the first Novavax clinic will be held on May 18 at Center Square Mall, with more clinics to be announced at a later date. Due to limited supply, residents will need to request a dose before sending shipments in order to receive immunization from a health center outside Yellowknife.
The Novavax vaccine was first approved by Health Canada on February 17. As of April 10, no doses have been administered in Canada, but as of April 28, 75,700 vaccines have been distributed nationwide, including 1,100 in the Northwest Territories.
The Novavax vaccine is now available in every province – only Nunavut has not yet received a shipment of the new vaccine.
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