All adults now eligible for COVID-19 bivalent vaccine

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This article was published 21/09/2022 (1248 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

As part of its fall immunization campaign, the province has expanded eligibility for the bivalent COVID-19 vaccine to Manitobans 18 years or older, with appointments opening today.

The Moderna bivalent vaccine offers coverage for the original strain and the Ba.1 omicron variant. It was approved by Health Canada Sept. 1, with shipments arriving in the country shortly after.

“We have to remember that our immunity to COVID-19 does wane over time,” chief provincial public health officer Dr. Brent Roussin said at a news conference Wednesday.

The vaccine is available through the regular channels: pharmacies, doctors’ offices and pop-up clinics.

Roussin said there are no immediate plans for a mass vaccine campaign in supersites like the last two years because of the high rate of immunization already in the population, plus expanded vaccine distribution.

While this bivalent vaccine does offer broader coverage, it is designed for two strains that are not as prevalent in the population. Currently, the Ba.4 and Ba.5 subvariants are the most dominant, which other countries like the United States are immunizing their populations against.

“It does protect against Ba.4 and Ba.5, and we see that it is providing protection against many variants,” Roussin said. “We are looking at other vaccines and will be offered as they are approved.”

The province will be rolling out a fall vaccine campaign with the bivalent vaccine in mind, as well as previous COVID vaccines still available as well as flu shots.

While third- and fourth-dose uptake, as well as natural immunity gained from catching COVID, is reducing severe outcomes, the province is preparing for what it expects to be a “significant” respiratory illness season, said Roussin.

“We are in a different stage of the pandemic than we were last year,” he said. “We have more vaccines and immunity, but every fall and winter is a significant respiratory season to some degree and our health-care system is already under strain. We are asking people to get up to date with their vaccines as soon as we can.”

This, he said, is also in the best interest of students and ensuring schools can continue to host in-person learning rather than reverting to remote learning.

“We know that COVID is going to continue to circulate, so the best protection is to ensure you’re up to date with your booster doses,” Roussin said.

As of Monday, 3,216 doses of the bivalent vaccine have been administered in Manitoba and entered into the province’s database, according to a news release. As well, vaccinations at personal care homes and other congregate living centres are underway.

Children aged five to 17 years can have a booster of the original COVID vaccine. The original COVID vaccine is also available for people unable to get the bivalent dose.

People can start booking appointments at 9 a.m. today by contacting the vaccine call centre at 1-844-626-8222, using the online vaccine booking tool (protectmb.ca/Booster), or by calling pharmacies and clinics directly.

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