Health Canada greenlit a bivalent Moderna COVID-19 vaccine and directed it be used as a booster shot for people 18 and older, according to a Thursday statement. .The statement said the bivalent vaccines will target the initial COVID-19 virus and the Omicron variant. They are the first of their kind ever authorized in Canada. .The statement went on to say Health Canada determined the bivalent vaccines were safe and effective after a thorough, independent scientific review of the evidence. It added clinical trials showed a booster dose of this vaccine triggered a strong immune response against the first COVID-19 strain and Omicron. .This adapted vaccine has a similar safety profile to the previous Moderna booster, with the same mild adverse effects resolved soon after. .Health Canada said vaccines are the best way for people to protect themselves against COVID-19. .It said it has placed terms and conditions on this authorization, requiring Moderna continue to provide data about the safety and effectiveness of the bivalent vaccines. .Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada will continue to monitor the vaccines in Canada and abroad and will take action if any safety concerns are discovered. .The European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the World Health Organization said in January repeat booster doses every four months could lead to a weakened immune response in vaccinated people and might be ineffective for new variants..READ MORE: Health agencies warn multiple COVID boosters not an effective approach moving forward.The EMA suggested giving more time between boosters and said the aim should be to time them out for the onset of the cold and flu season in each hemisphere..It said current studies show “a lower risk of being hospitalized after infection with Omicron” and claimed the risk is “currently estimated to be between a third and half of the risk with the Delta variant.”
