The first deliveries of Moderna’s new bivalent vaccine, which helps protect against the Omicron strain of COVID-19, should arrive in the province this month.
With cold and flu season starting this fall, Public Health is encouraging people who are eligible for their booster to start booking appointments starting Monday, September 19.
Dr. Janice Fitzgerald, medical director of health, says about 60,000 doses will arrive initially, with more doses expected in the coming weeks.
Because initial supplies will be limited, they limit eligibility to certain high-risk groups.
This includes adults aged 65 and over, residents of long-term care facilities or congregate housing, residents of Indigenous and marginalized communities and those aged 12 and over who have underlying medical conditions that make them more vulnerable .
In the meantime, Fitzgerald says everyone age 5 and older who has been at least 20 weeks since their last booster should book an appointment for either the traditional dose or the new bivalent vaccine. Those who qualify for the bivalent vaccine are asked to be patient, especially to book their appointment with their local pharmacy or doctor, as initial shipments are limited.
It will be available from September 21, but pharmacies and doctors are being asked to fully book their vaccine clinics before ordering their supply, “so please be patient,” Fitzgerald urges.
Flu shots, which can be given at the same time as the COVID booster, will be available later this fall.