Paris, Jan 15 (IANS): The French national authority of health has officially approved the Nuvaxovid vaccine for Covid-19.

"The data from various studies shows the high efficiency of the Nuvaxovid vaccine against the symptomatic forms of Covid-19 (nearly 90 per cent), and in particular against severe forms with nearly 100 per cent efficiency," the authority said in a statement.

Nuvaxovid, manufactured by American biotechnology company Novavax, is suitable for people over the age of 18, with a delay between doses of three weeks, it said.

The health authority said the Novaxovid vaccine can be used for those who have not received any shots, or cannot receive the mRNA vaccines.

The Ministry of Health has said that the first injections of Nuvaxovid can start in February, and it will receive 3.2 million doses for the first trimester.

The first delivery of vaccines will arrive at the end of January.

The five Covid-19 vaccines authorised in France are Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Janssen and Nuvaxovid.