Indonesia becomes first country to approve Novavax COVID-19 vaccine

 COVID-19 vaccine at Novavax labs in Gaithersburg, Maryland, United States on March 20, 2020. (AFP/VNA Photo)

Jakarta (VNA) - Indonesia became the first country to approve the new vaccine for COVID-19 created by US-based Novavax, the company announced on November 1.

In an announcement, Novavax chief executive Stanley Erck affirmed the company’s commitment to equitable global access and will fill a need for Indonesia, the fourth most populous nation on earth.

The vaccine will be produced by the Serum Institute of India (SII), and deliveries will begin "imminently," according to a statement from Novavax.

Nonavax and its partner Serum Institute of India (SII) in September applied to the World Health Organisation for an emergency use listing of Novavax's COVID-19 vaccine, clearing the way for the shot to be shipped to countries participating in the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access Facility (COVAX).

The two countries have committed to providing more than 1.1 billion doses of vaccine to COVAX to facilitate equal access to vaccines for low and middle-income countries. Clinical trials in the United States and Mexico showed that Novavax's vaccine has an efficacy of 90.4 percent./.

VNA