Bivalent Vaccine In Canada Omicron Booster Approved

Health Canada has authorized the use of the country’s first variant targeting a COVID-19 booster shot. On Thursday, the federal health regulator announced it had given the go-ahead to Moderna’s bivalent Covid-19 vaccine targeting Omicron, for ages 18 and older. A technical briefing with Public Health Canada officials is scheduled for Thursday morning. Afterwards, Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos will make an announcement on “the importance of vaccination against COVID-19 as we approach autumn”. Moderna submitted its bivalent reminder to Health Canada for regulatory approval on June 30. While the booster vaccine was submitted by Moderna for approval for ages 12 and older, it appears that Health Canada has decided to limit its license to use in adults. The booster shot targets both the original strain of COVID-19 and the Omicron variant. The mutated and highly contagious version of the new coronavirus has been circulating widely in Canada since November 2021. Moderna’s bivalent vaccine will be the first such vaccine available in Canada. Pfizer-BioNTech has also submitted its bivalent enhancer for regulatory evaluation. That submission went to Canada’s federal health regulator on July 25, and while approval may be imminent, it is not expected to be part of Thursday’s announcement. “Our regulatory colleagues at Health Canada are working very quickly to review the submissions from Moderna and from Pfizer-BioNTech for the bivalent booster doses,” said Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam during an Aug. 22 press conference. This decision comes shortly after the US Food and Drug Administration granted emergency use licenses on Wednesday to both the Moderna and Pfizer bivalent vaccines for use as single booster doses at least two months after the initial or booster vaccination. The UK approved the Moderna bivalent vaccine on 15 August. The federal government has already bought 12 million doses of the vaccine, striking a deal with Moderna to replace part of its planned supply of the original mRNA vaccine with the newer version, with delivery expected before the end of the year. As has been the case throughout the pandemic, provincial health authorities will be responsible for determining the distribution of this vaccine and who will be prioritized to receive it. Questions have been raised about whether Canadians should wait for bivalent doses to become available before rolling up their sleeves for a shot, which Tam said should be decided based on individual risk factors. With pandemic restrictions largely lifted in all provinces and Canadians expected to spend more and more time indoors, doctors and epidemiologists are warning of an increase in COVID-19 cases this fall and winter .

title: “Bivalent Vaccine In Canada Omicron Booster Approved Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-12” author: “Anna Taylor”

Health Canada has authorized the use of the country’s first variant targeting a COVID-19 booster shot. On Thursday, the federal health regulator announced it had given the go-ahead to Moderna’s bivalent Covid-19 vaccine targeting Omicron, for ages 18 and older. A technical briefing with Public Health Canada officials is scheduled for Thursday morning. Afterwards, Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos will make an announcement on “the importance of vaccination against COVID-19 as we approach autumn”. Moderna submitted its bivalent reminder to Health Canada for regulatory approval on June 30. While the booster vaccine was submitted by Moderna for approval for ages 12 and older, it appears that Health Canada has decided to limit its license to use in adults. The booster shot targets both the original strain of COVID-19 and the Omicron variant. The mutated and highly contagious version of the new coronavirus has been circulating widely in Canada since November 2021. Moderna’s bivalent vaccine will be the first such vaccine available in Canada. Pfizer-BioNTech has also submitted its bivalent enhancer for regulatory evaluation. That submission went to Canada’s federal health regulator on July 25, and while approval may be imminent, it is not expected to be part of Thursday’s announcement. “Our regulatory colleagues at Health Canada are working very quickly to review the submissions from Moderna and from Pfizer-BioNTech for the bivalent booster doses,” said Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam during an Aug. 22 press conference. This decision comes shortly after the US Food and Drug Administration granted emergency use licenses on Wednesday to both the Moderna and Pfizer bivalent vaccines for use as single booster doses at least two months after the initial or booster vaccination. The UK approved the Moderna bivalent vaccine on 15 August. The federal government has already bought 12 million doses of the vaccine, striking a deal with Moderna to replace part of its planned supply of the original mRNA vaccine with the newer version, with delivery expected before the end of the year. As has been the case throughout the pandemic, provincial health authorities will be responsible for determining the distribution of this vaccine and who will be prioritized to receive it. Questions have been raised about whether Canadians should wait for bivalent doses to become available before rolling up their sleeves for a shot, which Tam said should be decided based on individual risk factors. With pandemic restrictions largely lifted in all provinces and Canadians expected to spend more and more time indoors, doctors and epidemiologists are warning of an increase in COVID-19 cases this fall and winter .