The Canadian Ministry of Health has approved the Novavax vaccine for COVID-19 for use in adults aged 18 and over.

In a statement on Thursday, the ministry stated that the list of approved COVID-19 vaccines has been updated to include (Pfizer - Novavax - Moderna - AstraZeneca - Johnson & Johnson), noting that the Novavax COVID vaccine, consisting of the Novavax vaccine, has not been approved for use in people under 18 years old as its safety and efficacy in young people have not yet been proven.

It added that the vaccine has proven 90% effective in preventing COVID-19 symptoms and 100% effective in preventing severe diseases. Preliminary data also indicate that Novavax produces neutralizing antibodies against the Omicron variant.

Canada has committed to purchasing 52 million doses of the vaccine, with the option to purchase up to an additional 24 million doses.