First batch of Novavax COVID-19 vaccines now available in Quebec at walk-in clinics

The provincial government said it has received a small quantity of its first batch of the Novavax vaccine, which can be administered in Quebec adults.

The new COVID-19 vaccine, approved by Health Canada on Feb. 17, is a protein-based vaccine offered in two doses. Quebec received 7,500 doses so far and will make the vaccine available to people 18 and older who cannot receive mRNA vaccines like the ones made by Pfizer and Moderna and to those who refuse those vaccines.

The Ministry of Health said in a news release Wednesday it expects to receive another 220,000 doses of the vaccines produced by the U.S. biotech firm Novavax in the next few weeks. Canada received the first shipment of 3.2 million doses on March 31.

For now, it's only being offered in walk-in clinics and at certain times of the day since it has a shorter shelf life. This means residents can't make an appointment on ClicSanté for this specific type of vaccine.

Health Canada said Novavax is 90 per cent effective at preventing symptomatic COVID-19 and 100 per cent effective at preventing severe disease. The company that developed it said the second dose can be administered 21 days after the first dose, although the final decision rests with the provinces.

Novavax is the fifth COVID-19 vaccine approved by Health Canada after Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, as well as Medicago, which is expected to be made available to Canadians next month.

The arrival of Novavax comes as Quebec is in the middle of yet another wave of COVID-19, with hospitalizations once again rising to levels not seen since February.