TORONTO — The Public Health Agency of Canada says it is not providing Novavax's COVID-19 vaccine this respiratory virus season, citing low demand. It says the manufacturer requires a minimum order of its updated protein-based vaccine, called Nuvaxovid, which far exceeds the uptake by Canadians last year. The agency says a very small portion of the doses ordered in 2023 were used and that its decision reflects efforts to limit vaccine wastage.
It is distributing two mRNA vaccines — made by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna — that are approved for adults and children six months and older. Both COVID-19 vaccines have been reformulated to target the recently circulating KP.2 subvariant of Omicron.
Novavax's vaccine, which was approved by Health Canada last month for adults and children 12 years and older, has been touted as an alternative to the mRNA vaccines. The public health agency says provinces and territories have the option of ordering the vaccine — which has been updated to target the JN.1 subvariant of Omicron — directly from the company.
As of Tuesday afternoon, several provinces – including Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Nova Scotia, P.E.I.
and Newfoundland and Labrador – confirmed to The Canadian Press that they aren't placing orders for Nuvaxovid. The Public Health Agency of Canada said in an email that its contract with Novavax "only provides access to domestically manufactured vaccines, which Novavax has been unable to confirm for the 2024/25 season." The .