Novavax’s COVID-19 vaccine now available on vaccination portal

The Ministry of Health has announced that Novavax’s COVID-19 vaccine Nuvaxovid (also known as NVX-CoV2373) to prevent COVID-19 in people from 18 years of age, will be available on the vaccination portal.

Novavax’s vaccine is a protein-based vaccine similar to those used to protect against flu, and for routine childhood immunizations against pertussis (whooping cough) and meningococcal infection.

Nuvaxovid contains a version of a protein found on the surface of SARS-CoV-2 (the spike protein), which has been produced in the laboratory.   It also contains an ‘adjuvant’, a substance to help strengthen the immune responses to the vaccine.  It is given as two injections, usually into the muscle of the upper arm, three weeks apart.

When a person is given the vaccine, their immune system will identify the protein in the vaccine as foreign and produce natural defences — antibodies and T cells — against it.

If, later on, the vaccinated person comes into contact with the SARS-CoV-2 virus, their immune system will recognise the spike protein on the virus and be prepared to attack it. The antibodies and immune cells can protect against Covid by working together to kill the virus, prevent its entry into the body’s cells and destroy infected cells.

The vaccination centers in all towns are open from 0800-1500 on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Every Wednesday, the walk-in centers are open in all districts from 0800-1800, and on Saturdays from 0800 until 1300.