New protein-based COVID-19 vaccine could help boost rates, say pharmacists

For New Brunswickerswho have been hesitant or unable to get an mRNACOVID-19 vaccine, there's now a new option.

NovavaxNuvaxovid, thefirst protein-based COVID vaccine authorized for use in Canadafor people 18 and older, became availablein New Brunswick last week, says the Department of Health.

There are about320 doses in the province, said spokesperson Bruce Macfarlane.

Only four pharmacies are currently administering them one each in Fredericton, Dieppe, Saint John and Miramichi.

Ayub Chishti, pharmacist and manager of the Fredericton location, Campus Pharmacy, said the uptake so far "hasn't been that great."

But what NovavaxNuvaxovid has done, he said, is encourage some people who are unvaccinated to finally get their shot.

Chishti vaccinatedabout 10 people at a Nuvaxovid clinic last week and has another 10 booked at a clinic this Thursday. He estimates about half of them"would not have got the vaccine if it wasn't for this one."

"There was so much controversy with the mRNAvaccines and the technology was new.So they were nervous about getting the vaccine and they wanted to see what effects it had on people.

"But with the Novavax, it feels as a Canadian product, they feel a bit more convinced that it's a good product."

How is this vaccine different?

Health Canada's chief medical adviser, Dr. Supriya Sharma, has saidboth vaccine types have the same objective to expose a person's immune system to the SARS-CoV2 spike protein and activate the immune system to make antibodies to neutralize it the next time the person is exposed to the virus. But theapproaches aredifferent.

"mRNA vaccines contain molecular manufacturing instructions for our cells to make the spike protein. With a protein subunit vaccine, a modified version of the spike protein itself is delivered," she said.

"These vaccines cannot cause COVID-19 because they only contain small purified pieces of proteins and not the virus itself."

Protein-based vaccines are already used for other diseases, such ashepatitis B, pertussis(whooping cough) and influenza.

"The most important part of getting vaccinated is to feel comfortable with it," saidChishti. "And with Novavax, that is providing a little bit more comfort zone to a few remaining ones, which is good."

Nearly 7% of eligible population unvaccinated

Dennis Abud, pharmacist owner oftheDieppe dispenser,Jean Coutu, and a board member of the New Brunswick Pharmacists' Association, agrees.

"I'm just happy that there's [another]option," he said.

With COVID-19 restrictions, such as masking, lifted, "our last line of defence is vaccines. So, you know, the more people we can get vaccinated the better."

A total of 51.8per cent of eligible New Brunswickers havereceived their COVID-19 booster doseas of last Tuesday'sCOVIDWatch update from the province, up from 51.6per centa week prior, 87.8 per cent have received two doses, upfrom 87.7per cent, and 93.1per cent have received their first dose, upfrom 93 per cent.

Abudheld his first Nuvaxovid clinic last week. He had 10 people booked because each vial contains 10 doses and once a vial is opened, it only lasts for about six hours.

Only eight of them got vaccinated though.

"Unfortunately, two people that were on our list, they contracted COVID so they couldn't get their dose," he said.

Some of the people opted for Nuvaxovid because they had reactions to priormRNAvaccines, while others are federal government employees who couldn't return to work if they weren't vaccinated, said Abud.

He has 20 more doses and is taking names now for future clinics, yet to be scheduled.

"Once we have [enough] names, we have to call all those people backand get them set up for a certain day.So unfortunately, it's a little bit more time consuming" than the Pfizer and Moderna clinics, which he holds twice a week.

The National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) continues to "preferentially" recommend mRNA vaccines for people 18 and older who have no contraindications, but says Nuvaxovidmay be offered asa primary series or a third dosefor people in this age group "who are not able or willing to receive an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine."

Trial data involving about 45,000 people in multiple countries suggests Nuvaxovid is more than 90 per cent effective in preventing severe illness and death when giventwo doses,21 days apart.

The trials were conducted by Novavax when the Alpha variant was predominant.

The most common potential side effects of Nuvaxovidare said to be similar to those of the four previously approved COVID-19 vaccines in Canada: soreness at the injection spot, chills, fatigue, muscle and joint aches, nausea and headaches.