The Novavax vaccine finally authorized: will it appeal to the most resistant?

A few days ago, that name resonated as a source of hope in the anti-vaccine ranks. But the green light from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) seems to have extinguished some ardor. Nuvaxovid, the vaccine against Covid-19 produced by Novavax, was authorized this Monday, December 20 by the European regulator and can therefore now be used within the European Union.

Which should have been good news for all those who, for several weeks, demanded news from Valneva, Sanofi or Novavax. “When will we have anything other than messenger RNA”, thus wondered an Internet user on December 17, seeing a “conflict of interest” in favor of this technology used by Pfizer and Moderna laboratories. “When will the classic vaccines arrive?”, asked another, adding that “RNA religion is not a panacea”, while a third worried about the supposed “government silence”, about these laboratories.

A silence now broken. The Novavax vaccine, considered by some to be “more traditional” has been authorized at European level. So, will he seduce the most resistant? Not to believe the reactions of the fiercest opponents of the vaccine, who already evoke “poison”. A disavowal that took place in a few days. And which is based on a largely recycled argument.

First, the presence of the protein Spike, which some believe to be toxic. Like a former geneticist – disowned by Inserm and become scientific backer of the anti-vaccine sphere – who describes a product for which “we squarely inject the Spike”. As a reminder, as we explained to you here, this vaccine uses recombinant protein technology, which is found in products used against pertussis or hepatitis B.

But apart from the substance, it is also the form that bothers some. And in particular the origin of Nuvaxovid. “Where is it made? In the United States. So not for me.”, writes a surfer. By regretting that it is still a “American pharmaceutical group” behind this product, these refractories still think they see a “alliance” of “Big Pharma” to quickly market their products to the detriment of others. And who says “Big Pharma” obviously says Bill Gates. The Novavax laboratory having received nearly $ 15 million from the Bill Gates Foundation for the research of a vaccine, this signals for some a frank disavowal. Without further argument needed. “The new Novavax vaccine is funded by Bill Gates. There you go,” simply shares a surfer.

Like the billionaire at the head of one of the most generous philanthropic foundations in the fight for access to vaccination, it is still and always the elites who are the targets of this conspiratorial sphere. Including the French government. For the more resistant, this strategy to fight Covid-19 has thus become purely and simply unthinkable as long as it is piloted by the current executive. “Everything has gone too far and I will definitely refuse a vaccine against this virus”, testifies one of them. “I do not inject anything on government order”, sums up another.

Between a break with science and obsession with the elites, the fervent opponents of vaccination are therefore still not seduced. With now five products authorized, it’s hard to imagine what could one day convince this noisy minority to be vaccinated.

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