Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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678. To ask the Minister for Health when the Novavax vaccine will be made available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16061/22]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The immunisation programme in Ireland is based on the advice of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC). The Committee's recommendations are based on the prevalence of the relevant disease in Ireland and international best practices in relation to immunisation. It makes recommendations on vaccination policy to the Department of Health. The NIAC review all data relating to COVID-19 vaccines on a rolling basis.

Following the recommendation for use of vaccines against COVID-19 by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and authorisation for use by the European Commission, the NIAC develops guidance for their use in Ireland which is contained in the Immunisation Guidelines for Ireland. These guidelines are continuously updated and include guidance on all new vaccines as they are approved for use in Ireland.

You can view the updated guidelines here: www.hse.ie/eng/health/immunisation/hcpinfo/guidelines/covid19.pdf

Following the EMA granting of conditional marketing authorisation for Novavax’s COVID-19 vaccine Nuvaxovid (also known as NVX-CoV2373), NIAC has recommended that this vaccine can be used in those aged 18 years of age and older.

NIAC guidance received on 27th January recommended that Nuvaxovid (Novavax) may be offered to those who have a contraindication to an mRNA vaccine, or who have chosen not to receive another COVID-19 vaccine course. Specific clinical guidance on the use of this vaccine is being developed by National Immunisation Office (NIO) and the HSE will now work to operationalise these updates.