Indonesia approves Novavax Covid-19 vaccine for emergency use

The Indonesian government has approved the Novavax Covid-19 vaccine for emergency use, the first country in the world to do so. The Bangkok Post reports that the manufacturer and its partner, Serum Institute of India, has confirmed the approval. The vaccine will be sold under the brand name Covovax.

The manufacturers have applied for emergency use authorisation in several countries, including with the European Medicines Agency, the UK, Australia, India, and Canada. There are also plans to apply for regulatory approval in Japan early next year, according to a statement from Novavax Inc and local partner, Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. The firm has postponed applying for US approval until the end of this year, amid reports that it’s been hit by production and quality issues.

According to the Bangkok Post report, the Novavax vaccine is protein-based, with a large, late-stage clinical trial in the US showing it to be over 90% effective, including against variants of concern.

Meanwhile, Indonesia has so far administered 193 million Covid-19 vaccine doses, fully vaccinating 73.7 million people, or just under 27% of its population. The country has recorded 4,244,761 infections and 143,423 deaths since the start of the pandemic.

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SOURCE: Bangkok Post