3 Aussie women experience SERIOUS REACTIONS after getting Novavax COVID shot

03/11/2022 / By Ramon Tomey

Three women in Australia experienced serious reactions after getting injected with the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine from Novavax.

The first woman, only identified as “Tasha,” received her first dose of the Novavax shot on Feb. 21 under threat of termination. She first reported a “hot gushing feeling down [her] throat that tasted metallic” after getting vaccinated, followed by a “deep throbbing headache” four hours later. On Feb. 23, she experienced profuse sweating and “the worst chest pain” – which doctors simply dismissed as anxiety.

The 42-year-old from Adelaide in South Australia sought medical treatment for her serious reactions, only to have doctors tell her that they did not know how to deal with Novavax adverse reactions. Tasha became completely bedridden by March 1. Tasha expressed regret in a March 7 Instagram video over what she thought was “the right thing” to do.

Lee-Anne Barnett, another Adelaide resident, also got the Novavax shot because her teaching job required her to do so. She opted for Novavax following her research about the cardiovascular issues caused by the Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca vaccines. The 45-year-old reported the same metallic taste immediately after getting her first dose on Feb. 18. (Related: Police officer in Western Australia suffers blood clots, stroke after taking Pfizer shot.)

After several days of having a sore arm, she found very itchy rashes on both of her thighs that rapidly spread to her entire legs on Feb. 26. Doctors only prescribed her steroids for the rash, dismissing the possibility of it being a consequence of the COVID-19 vaccine. Barnett reported “diminishing cognitive abilities” by March 2, adding that she felt like “getting dementia.”

Thirty-year-old Chiara Clowes said she got the Novavax vaccine for travel purposes, as she wanted to visit her family in Italy. The Perth, Western Australia resident received her first dose on Feb. 17, experiencing a plethora of reactions on the same day. Clowes reported several health issues such as breathing difficulty, extreme chest pain, extreme fatigue, brain fog and cognitive issues.

Tests conducted by medical professionals found nothing, although they acknowledged Clowes’ chest pain was caused by the Novavax shot. Doctors later found an ovarian cyst in Clowes on Feb. 24 – a week after her first Novavax dose. The 30-year-old who lives a healthy lifestyle now has to regularly meet with gynecologists.

Novavax fails to deliver despite “standout” qualities

The Therapeutic Goods Administration, Australia’s drug regulator, approved the Novavax sub-unit protein vaccine for emergency use in January. It recommended the two-dose vaccine for Australians aged 18 and older, with a three-week interval between both shots.

According to the Maryland-based vaccine maker, its sub-unit protein vaccine delivers the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein using an insect virus. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines use lipid nanoparticles containing messenger RNA to deliver the spike protein, while the Janssen and AstraZeneca vaccines use an adenovirus to do so.

The Novavax shot uses saponin, a compound from the Quillaja saponaria tree, to activate the body’s immune system. Commonly known as the soap bark tree, Q. saponaria is native to South America. Saponin’s soap-like qualities trigger an immune response in the body once injected.

Despite the Novavax shot’s qualities that make it stand out among other COVID-19 vaccine candidates, a Reuters report claimed the Maryland-based firm has only fulfilled a small fraction of its worldwide commitments. The company said it has recently completed deliveries to Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand – but refused to comment on exactly how many doses were delivered.

An official in the Philippine government said Manila has not yet received its order of 30 million Novavax doses. Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., the country’s vaccine czar, said the Philippines is renegotiating its contract and considering reducing its order. He cited the Philippines’ existing stock of 96 million doses in the national stockpile as a reason for reducing the doses procured.

Novavax did not comment on the specific concerns of the Philippine government but said it is working with governments worldwide to meet regulatory requirements. It added that it is moving as quickly as possible to ship its vaccine dose commitments for the first quarter of 2022.