Provinces and territories are beginning to distribute updated vaccines to safeguard individuals against COVID-19. According to the Public Health Agency of Canada’s immunization guide, COVID vaccines have proven effective in preventing severe illness, hospitalization, and death, as well as reducing the risk of post-COVID-19 conditions like long COVID.
The vaccination campaign coincides with a rise in COVID-19 cases among individuals seeking emergency or urgent care for respiratory symptoms. The federal respiratory virus snapshot reported a 10% positivity rate for tests ending on Sept. 20, up from the previous week’s 9.6%.
Health Canada recently approved the latest mRNA vaccines for this fall. Moderna’s vaccine is suitable for individuals aged six months and older, while Pfizer-BioNTech’s vaccine is approved for those aged five and above. Both vaccines are considered equivalent by infectious disease physicians.
The National Advisory Committee on Immunization recommends that all adults aged 65 or older receive the COVID-19 vaccine, regardless of previous vaccination status, due to their increased vulnerability. Additionally, the vaccine is recommended for individuals aged six months and older who reside in long-term care facilities, have underlying medical conditions putting them at higher risk, are pregnant, belong to First Nations, Inuit, or Métis communities, work in healthcare, or are part of marginalized communities.
Individuals aged six months and above who are not in high-risk categories may also opt to receive the updated COVID vaccine, as advised by the national advisory group.
Ontario has initiated the distribution of COVID vaccines to priority groups such as residents of long-term care facilities, with other provinces and territories following suit shortly.
The latest vaccines include LP.8.1, a derivative of the Omicron variant. Dr. Donald Vinh, an infectious diseases specialist at McGill University Health Centre, affirmed that the updated vaccine is effective against current circulating strains, providing a significant increase in antibody levels for recipients.
Most Canadians can receive COVID vaccines free of charge, except for individuals in Alberta, where a fee of $100 is applicable, and in Quebec, where charges range from $150 to $180 for those outside the high-risk groups set by the provinces.
COVID vaccines are available at pharmacies, public health clinics, and some family physicians’ offices, with provinces and territories continually updating their distribution websites.