At a special meeting, the European regulator approved another coronavirus vaccine for use in EU member states. This is the American drug Nuvaxovid from Novavax. The recognition came from a press release from the European Medicines Agency (EMA).
In a statement issued on Monday (December 20th), the EMA said it had recommended a conditional authorization to sell Nuvaxovid to people aged 18 and over, meaning that vaccinated tourists could now enter Europe without hindrance.
“Nuvaxovid is the fifth vaccine recommended by the EU in the fight against COVID-19. It is a protein-based vaccine that, along with already approved vaccines, will support vaccination campaigns in EU member states during the critical phase of the pandemic, “the statement said.
It was also noted that the decision was made after a thorough evaluation by the EMA Committee, which concluded that the vaccine was effective, safe and high quality. According to the regulator, two clinical trials involving more than 45,000 people showed that Nuvaxovid was effective in preventing COVID-19 infection.
It will be recalled that this is the fifth anti-cancer drug approved by the EMA. To date, only four vaccines have been adopted in the European Union. Among them: after the following four vaccines have been approved so far:
- Pfizer / BioNtech – approved on December 21, 2020
- Moderna – approved on January 1, 2021
- AstraZeneca – approved on January 29, 2021
- Johnson & Johnson. – approved on March 11, 2021
At the same time, four more vaccines are being studied. It:
- “Satellite V” (Russia)
- Sinovac (China)
- Sanofi Pasteur (France)
- Valneva (France)
The German company CureVac had previously applied for the examination of its anticoronavirus vaccine, but it withdrew its application from the EMA. On December 17, the World Health Organization also approved the emergency use of Novavax and approved the Indian Serum Institute. A decision on Russian vaccines is expected no earlier than January 2022.
Commenting on Novavax’s vaccine authorization, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the move came amid the proliferation of omicron, a time when there is a great need to increase vaccination and booster doses. “This is the fifth safest and most effective vaccine in our vaccine portfolio, which provides long-awaited additional protection for European citizens from the pandemic. Let this permit be a strong incentive for all those who have not yet been vaccinated or revaccinated, that now is the time to do it, “she said.
Novavax President and CEO Stanley K. Erk also noted the correctness and timeliness of the EU’s decision, thanking the EMA for their assessment. “We welcome today’s decision of the European Commission, which reflects the first authorization for the COVID-19 protein-based vaccine for EU citizens… We look forward to playing a crucial role in combating the ongoing threat of COVID-19,” he said.
For tourism, vaccine approval means that travelers vaccinated with an extended range of drugs will be allowed to enter the unit, as many member states follow the recommendations of the European regulator and allow entry only to those vaccinated with EMA-approved drugs.