Indonesia Authorizes Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine for Emergency Use

Indonesia Authorizes Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine for Emergency Use

Indonesia Authorizes , Novavax Vaccine , for Emergency Use.

ABC News reports Indonesian officials have authorized emergency use of the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine.

The two-dose Novavax vaccine differs from its widely used mRNA counterparts.

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It is created with lab-grown clones of the spike protein that envelops the coronavirus.

MRNA vaccines transport genetic instructions that help the body create its own spike protein.

Unlike Pfizer and Moderna, the Novavax vaccine doesn't need to be held at extremely cold temperatures to remain effective.

Experts say this resilience to temperature will allow the vaccine to better address the needs of less wealthy countries around the world.

United States-based Novavax announced in June its clinical trials had shown the vaccine's efficacy hovered around 90%.

The island country of Indonesia was hit especially hard by the delta variant this summer.

It is reported more than 143,000 Indonesians have died from the virus.

Low testing rates and lack of contact tracing in the country lead many to believe the death toll is much greater