And five!
A year after the first injections with the Pfizer / BioNTech product, a fifth vaccine against Covid-19, that developed by the American group Novavax, will be able to be used in France.
The High Authority for Health (HAS) gave, this Friday, the green light to the vaccination of all adults who wish it with this product.
On December 20, the European Medicines Agency had already given its approval.
This vaccine is recombinant protein, that is to say that it consists of injecting SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins produced in the laboratory.
The double injection (two doses three weeks apart) triggers the immune response and the production of antibodies.
"The data from the various studies show very good efficacy against the symptomatic forms of Covid-19 (nearly 90%), and in particular against the severe forms with nearly 100% efficacy", indicates the HAS in his opinion.
But beware: "The long-term efficacy, that against transmission and that against the Delta and Omicron variants (which emerged after the end of clinical trial follow-up) remain to be confirmed," she adds.
3.2 million doses ordered in the first quarter
Recombinant proteins are a third technology available after those of messenger RNA (Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna) and adenovirus (AstraZeneca and Janssen), rejected by some non-vaccinated.
"Many vaccines already work with this recombinant protein technique, it seems much safer to me", recently told us Camille, a young woman who is waiting for Novavax to be immunized.
It is also for these people “not wishing or unable to receive this type of vaccine (messenger RNA)” that the HAS gives the green light, while continuing to recommend Pfizer or Moderna as a priority.
Read alsoCovid-19: these French people who are waiting for Novavax to be vaccinated
This new vaccine can therefore be administered to all inhabitants aged at least 18 who so wish. 3.2 million doses have been ordered by France (via the European Union) for the first quarter, and a million of them could arrive “at the beginning of February”, indicated the Ministry of Health on Tuesday. The first injections could take place at the beginning of February.
In its opinion, the HAS also specifies that people aged at least 55 and vaccinated with Janssen will be able to receive this same product as a booster dose.
Since last summer, only messenger RNA vaccines (Pfizer and Moderna) were offered to them, starting one month after the first injection.
According to the latest figures from the Ministry of Health, only 83% of the million inhabitants vaccinated with Janssen have received their additional dose, necessary to maintain good protection.