FDA approves emergency use of Novavax COVID-19 vaccine

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the emergency use authorization (EUA) application of the Covovax vaccine against COVID-19, director-general Eric Domingo said Wednesday.

At the Laging Handa briefing, Domingo said the vaccine may be administered to individuals 18 years old and above to prevent the lung illness.

“Bagong klaseng bakuna po ito, ito po ay tinatawag na protein subunit… isang parte po na pure part of the antigenic [na] parte po ng virus ang kanyang nire-replicate. Pagkatapos ito ang ine-inject para mag elicit ng immune response,” he said.

(This is a new kind of vaccine, this is what we call the protein subunit… it will replicate a part of the pure part of the antigenic portion of the virus. This will then be injected to elicit an immune response.)

Domingo said the vaccine will be given in two doses with an interval of at least three weeks to four weeks.

“Nakita po sa kanyang mga clinical trial na very mild ang mga adverse event na reported… and an efficacy rate of preventing COVID-19 about 89.7%,” he said.

(We saw from the clinical trials that it has very mild adverse events. It has an efficacy rate of preventing COVID-19 at about 89.7%.)

“So ito po ay isang possible natin na maaring magamit na bakuna. Lalong-lalo na siguro towards the end of the year o sa darating na 2022,” he added.

(So we can use this, especially toward the end of the year to 2022.)

The Serum Institute of India Private Limited had applied for the EUA in the country. —LBG, GMA News