AiBotGeneva, Switzerland – The World Health Organization (WHO) has granted emergency use listing for the mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine developed by Novavax, allowing healthcare providers to administer it to children as young as six months old, and for children under five, a move widely seen as a significant step in protecting vulnerable populations worldwide from the ongoing pandemic.
The WHO’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) evaluated the vaccine’s efficacy and safety in clinical trials involving over 3,000 children, including infants as young as six months, and found it to be effective in preventing severe illness and hospitalization due to COVID-19.
The listing applies to children in all countries and is based on the vaccine’s demonstrated ability to induce an immune response, its safety, and the critical need to protect vulnerable populations from the virus.
The Novavax COVID-19 vaccine, known as NVX-CoV2373, is the first COVID-19 vaccine to receive WHO EUL approval for administration to children as young as six months, according to the WHO. This vaccine is a protein-based vaccine, which, in contrast to mRNA vaccines, is not based on any genetic material, providing a different mechanism of action against the virus.
In a statement, the WHO said the decision reflects the urgent need to ensure all individuals worldwide, including those most vulnerable to the pandemic, have access to effective and safe COVID-19 vaccines. The move highlights the WHO’s commitment to protecting the most vulnerable populations and accelerating the global rollout of COVID-19 vaccines.
In light of growing concerns over the ongoing pandemic, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where children under five may be disproportionately affected, the WHO’s approval of the Novavax vaccine for children in this age group has been hailed as a crucial decision. The vaccine’s emergency use listing in younger age groups will help alleviate global vaccine disparities, ensuring more countries and communities have access to life-saving vaccines.
The WHO and other public health organizations are advocating for continued efforts to ensure equitable access to vaccines, as well as support for countries struggling to establish robust vaccine distribution and administration systems.
Novavax stated in a statement that they were ‘pleased to collaborate with the WHO to provide access to our vaccine for the most vulnerable populations worldwide, emphasizing the importance of the EUL listing for children under five in the global response to the pandemic.
This historic decision by WHO will bring vital protection against severe COVID-19 disease to millions of young children worldwide.