Health Canada has approved Pfizer and BioNTech's latest COVID-19 vaccine, which has been designed to target the Omicron LP.8.1 variant.It will soon be available for individuals aged six months and older."This season's Pfizer and BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine will be available in pharmacies across the country in the fall," the companies wrote in a joint press release. "The public program operates according to the eligibility criteria determined by each province. If an individual meets these criteria, they will be eligible to receive the vaccine for free."They noted that "efforts are ongoing in collaboration with private insurers and payers to streamline reimbursement processes within the private sector, for those who do not meet public program requirements."Pfizer and BioNTech claimed that the approval was "based on the cumulative body of evidence previously submitted by Pfizer and BioNTech that includes clinical, non-clinical, and real-world data supporting the safety and efficacy of Pfizer and BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines."
