France will initially receive only a “relatively small volume of doses”, indicated the Ministry of Health on Tuesday.
Ignition delay for Nuvaxovid. Validated by the European Medicines Agency at the end of December and by the French High Authority for Health (HAS) last Friday, the new anti-Covid vaccine from Novavax should not arrive in France before the end of February.
Read alsoCould the new Novavax vaccine convince the last recalcitrants?
During a press briefing on Tuesday, the Ministry of Solidarity and Health clarified that the first deliveries were now expected “the last week of February“. The “exact dateis not yet known, it was said, adding that all European countries should be delivered on the same day.
This delay was expected: last week, the ministry recalled that the first deliveries were normally expected “at the end of January“, but that “signalsfrom the lab foreshadowed delays.
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800,000 doses expected each week in March
In addition, France will initially only receive a “relatively small dose volume“, Between “1.1 and 1.2 million doses for this first delivery“, said the ministry on Tuesday. In March, then, 800,000 doses are expected each week. As the volume of doses is limited, it is notnot necessarily compatible with making it available in the vaccination circuit in townfor now, the ministry noted. Discussions are taking place on this subject at the moment.
At this time, the reason for Novavax’s delay is not known. Asked about this subject, the ministry indicated that it did not have precise information, adding however that a “exchangewas planned this week with the laboratory: the subject will be discussed there. “If we look at the history of the Covid vaccination campaign in our country, in general, at the very beginning, there may be delays“, we noted.
A useful vaccine to convince reluctant people?
Based on a technologyclassicNuvaxovid is a recombinant protein vaccine. The High Authority for Health recently authorized its use for the primary vaccination – the first two doses, in the majority of cases – for adults, but not for the booster vaccination – the third dose, for most people. However, the HAS recommended giving preference tomRNA vaccines for primary and booster vaccination”, these being particularly effective. This vaccine is not yet recommended for pregnant women.
The health authority emphasized the “very good efficacy of Nuvaxovid against symptomatic forms of Covid-19 (nearly 90%), and in particular against severe forms with nearly 100% efficacy“. But data are still lacking on the durability of protection over the long term, as well as on the efficacy of the vaccine against the Delta and Omicron variants. Nuvaxovid is injected in two doses, but it can also be given to someone who has received a first dose of another vaccine and who does not want or cannotreceive a second dose of the same vaccine to complete their initial vaccination schedule“.
The government believes that this new vaccine, based on more traditional technology, should make it possible to convince people to be vaccinated against Covid-19. “It will allow you to reach new people“, wants to believe the Ministry of Health, while just under 4.6 million people have not yet received any dose of vaccine.