Covid-19: County Antrim woman feels 'let down' by vaccine trial

A County Antrim woman has said she feels seriously "let down" after taking part in a Covid-19 vaccine trial which has yet to be approved.

Sharman Finlay, 66, was one of 350 people in Northern Ireland who participated in Novavax trials which started in November 2020.

The Novavax vaccine is yet to be licensed in the UK.

Some countries refuse to consider volunteers who have taken part as being vaccinated.

Mrs Finlay told BBC News NI she felt "trust was abused" after she thought she was doing something for the greater good.

The company started its trials in October 2020, with more than 15,000 people across the UK taking part.

In Northern Ireland, the trials were overseen by professionals in Queen's University Belfast and the Belfast Health Trust.

Participants were not told whether they were given a placebo or Covid vaccine.

However, several months later they could ask to be "unblinded" in order to find out what they had been given, in order to be properly vaccinated.

While those affected in England have been told they are to be offered two doses of another vaccine from next week - the other devolved nations have yet to act.

In a statement, the Department of Health in Northern Ireland said: "In absence of approval for Novavax, we are finalising plans to offer approved Covid vaccines to trial participants.

"Authorisation and approval of a vaccine is a matter for the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency following submission and consideration of all relevant trial data."

Mrs Finlay said she had been left feeling frustrated after the pharmaceutical company, those who organised the trials in Belfast and the Department of Health could not help her.

"They eventually told me that I had been given the Novavax vaccine and not a placebo which was good as I never had any ill effects, but in the eyes of the law I have never actually been officially vaccinated."

Mrs Finlay's son, Amadeus, is due to get married abroad in the new year. She needs to receive her first jab as soon as possible in order to receive her second dose in time to travel.

But she said it is not an ideal situation as some of those who had received the Novavax vaccine were unsure about putting different vaccines into their body.

She also said it was unfair that despite her being among the first to receive a vaccine, many others were now at the stage of getting their booster.

She said she had asked her GP a few months ago about whether she should get another vaccine.

"The advice, at that stage, was he would not recommend it on advice from the trial team as it was not known what interactions this would cause and I'm still in that position, " she told BBC Radio Ulster's Good Morning Ulster programme.

"I and all the other volunteers, are now being told we need to take two doses of another vaccine if we want to travel, so there's an extra risk and we don't know what the risks are."

She said she and others on the trial felt like "outcasts".

"We were assured repeatedly that the Novavax was going to get authorisation in April, then it was June, then September and now it's 2022," she said

"I appreciate that my situation is not anywhere near as unpleasant has someone who has had Covid or lost someone through Covid but it's still rather stressful," she added.

John Mulholland, 70, also took part in the Novavax trial and says he was left in limbo.

He too had been given the vaccine and not the placebo.

But in order to get vaccine certification, he recently attended a walk-in centre and received a Pfizer jab.

He said he wanted to make sure he received a booster and would be able to travel.

"We can't get a travel cert or even a simple vaccine card to say we are vaccinated," he said.

"I had been watching the news and thought: 'I better just go and get this done my self.' Others haven't been so fortunate."

Mr Mulholland thought that his trial details would be included on his health records but they were not.

"It's not really good enough, I feel let down, and I want to know why there is a delay in getting Novavax licensed," he said.

"I feel physically fine - I just want to be able to travel."

BBC News NI has contacted Novavax for a statement.