Pfizer’s updated COVID-19 vaccine has been approved, Health Canada says

Pfizer-BioNTech’s updated vaccine to protect against a recently circulating COVID-19 variant has been approved, Health Canada announced Tuesday.

The federal vaccination and treatment portal lists authorization of the product Comirnaty, stating that it contains an updated composition targeting the KP.2 subvariant of Omicron.

Pfizer said the newly developed vaccine will be available in pharmacies and vaccination centers across the country “in the fall.” The company encouraged people to check with provincial and territorial authorities to find out how to get it.

Last week, Health Canada approved another mRNA vaccine, Moderna’s Spikevax, and Novavax’s protein-based vaccine, called Nuvaxovid.

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Pfizer’s previous vaccine targeted an earlier subvariant of Omikron, called XBB.1.5.

Guidance of the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) strongly recommends updating COVID-19 vaccinations starting this fall for at-risk groups, including adults 65 and older, people living in long-term care or other group living settings, people with underlying conditions that put them at higher risk of severe illness, people from Indigenous and racialized communities, and people who are pregnant or provide essential community services.

According to NACI, all other adults and children six months or older are also eligible for a renewed COVID-19 vaccination this fall.

According to the Public Health Agency of Canada wastewater dataUpdated on Tuesday, COVID-19 viral activity is moderate nationally, but some wastewater collection sites in Yukon, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador recorded high activity on Sept. 8.

According to doctors and epidemiologists, testing wastewater could be an early indication of the emergence of respiratory viruses.

Both the latest Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are approved for adults and children six months and older.

Novavax is approved for adults and individuals aged 12 years and older.