UK to offer new Covid-19 vaccine shots to Novavax trial volunteers

Around 15,000 people in the UK got Novavax shots as part of a clinical trial. While the UK recognizes them as vaccinated, most countries don't, meaning they can't travel

Britain announced Friday that it will offer new vaccinations to thousands of people who volunteered for trials of the Novavax coronavirus vaccine, which hasn't yet been approved for use in any country.

Around 15,000 people in the UK got Novavax shots as part of a clinical trial. While the UK recognises them as vaccinated, most countries don't, meaning they can't travel.

Britain's health department said more than 15,000 participants will be given two doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine. The government says it plans to expand the offer to about 6,000 UK participants in trials of other vaccines that also haven't been approved for use.

Britain has appealed to other members of the Group of 20 nations to classify clinical trial volunteers as vaccinated, but most haven't done so.

England's deputy chief medical officer, Jonathan Van-Tam, noted that if more countries around the world had reciprocated by allowing UK volunteers to enjoy fully vaccinated status for overseas travel, these measures would not have been necessary.

In June, Novavax announced that its vaccine had proved about 90% effective against symptomatic COVID-19 in a study of nearly 30,000 people in the US and Mexico.

US-based Novavax has asked the World Health Organisation to approve its COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use so it can be part of the COVAX global vaccine programme. But it has delayed seeking approval in Europe or the United States.

The Novavax shots are easier to store and transport than some other options, and have long been expected to play an important role in increasing supplies in poor countries desperate for more vaccine doses.