Health Canada on Thursday approved the first bivalent vaccine adapted to the Omicron variant, from Moderna, as a booster dose for people aged 18 and over.
“After a thorough and independent scientific review of the evidence, Health Canada has determined that Moderna’s Spikevax bivalent booster vaccine is safe and effective,” Health Canada said Thursday morning.
“Clinical trial results have shown that a booster dose of Moderna’s Spikevax bivalent vaccine elicits a strong immune response once morest the Omicron strain (BA.1) and the original SARS-CoV-2 virus strain. It was also observed to generate a good immune response once morest the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants, and is expected to prolong the durability of protection.
Much like Moderna’s Spikevax booster shot, the side effects “are also mild and wear off quickly.”
Canada has already ordered 12 million doses of this vaccine which attacks both the original strain of the virus and the BA.4 and BA.5 lines of the Omicron variant, which account for the overwhelming majority of positive cases at the current time.
The American manufacturer Moderna had submitted its request for approval to the federal agency last June. This new 50 microgram version is currently only authorized for adults aged 18 and over. Pfizer also submitted a submission for its bivalent vaccine version in late July, and is awaiting approval from Health Canada.
