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Dec 21, 2021 - Health

WHO and EU clear Novavax, adding another option to vaccine arsenal

Dave Lawler
Illustration of a vaccine syringe on a performance stage

Illustration: Annelise Capossela/Axios

The WHO and EU have now cleared Novavax’s COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use, adding another shot to the global arsenal.

Why it matters: The biggest impact will likely be in the developing world as the American company has promised over 1 billion doses to the WHO-backed COVAX initiative. The vaccine can be stored at normal refrigerator temperatures and proved highly effective in clinical trials.

  • Because the vaccine was developed using long-established technology, there’s some hope it could also help reduce vaccine hesitancy among those who don’t trust mRNA vaccines.
  • Novavax, which is producing the vaccine in conjunction with the Serum Institute of India, has yet to request approval from the FDA due to manufacturing issues, but it plans to do so later this month, per the WSJ.

More COVID headlines: Omicron cases doubling fast; Variant accounts for 73% of new U.S. cases; Netherlands locks down

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