So far 86 people vaccinated with Novavax, Health Ministry official says

A total of 86 people have been vaccinated with the new Novavax protein vaccine, which is marketed under the name Nuvaxovid, Acting Director of the Ministry of Health Nursing Services, Evagoras Tampouris, told CNA, noting that another 26 people have scheduled an appointment for vaccination in the coming period.

According to Tampouris, 60 citizens have received the first dose with Nuvaxovid, while 26 have received the second dose. He noted that the first vaccinations were administered on March 12, with 14 vaccinations in total for that day.

Vaccination rates in adults and the general population 

Asked about the vaccination rates to date, the Deputy Director of Nursing Services told CNA that the percentage of fully vaccinated adults is 86.6%, while he noted that the percentage for the general population is 74%.

More specifically, he said that 666,011 people have been vaccinated with the 1st dose, 642,862 with the 2nd dose, 464,397 with the 3rd dose and 2,591 with the 4th dose.

What is the Nuvaxovid vaccine?

Nuvaxovid is a vaccine to prevent the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) for people aged 18 years and older. It contains a version of a protein found on the surface of the SARS-CoV-2 virus (spike protein), which has been produced in the laboratory.

This vaccine will be administered in doses, with a 3-week interval in-between, and according to studies the efficacy of the Nuvaxovid vaccine is approximately 90%.

The Nuvaxovid vaccine works by preparing the body to defend itself against COVID-19 infection. It also contains an “immune booster”, a substance that helps to enhance immune responses to the vaccine.

It is noted that if the vaccinated person comes in contact with the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the immune system will recognise the spike protein in the virus and will be ready to attack.

Antibodies and immune cells can protect against the COVID-19 disease by working together to kill the virus, prevent it from entering the body`s cells and destroy infected cells.

The Nuvaxovid vaccine is only for the basic vaccination (first and second dose) and not for booster doses.