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Health Canada has ordered provinces to recall existing stocks of Omikron’s targeted XBB form of COVID-19 vaccine, a spokesperson for Ontario’s health minister said.
“Health Canada has directed all provinces to follow the procedures and processes for the withdrawal and destruction of all remaining stocks of XBB vaccines, effective September 1, 2024,” the spokesperson said.
The Omicron branch of the viral family tree was discovered in late 2021 and has begun to rapidly spread around the world. The latest strains of Omicron circulating in Canada and the US have names that start with KP.
In a notice to healthcare professionalsthe federal government said that after August 21, “there will no longer be any XBB.1.5 COVID-19 vaccines available for use in Canada. Updated COVID-19 vaccines targeting the JN.1 or KP.2 strains are expected to be approved by Health Canada in the coming weeks.”
Ontario and Saskatchewan said the vaccines will be available once they are received from Health Canada, after the updated formula is approved.
Infectious disease physician Donald Vinh on the COVID vaccine inventory.
“Ontario and other provinces are expected to receive shipments from Health Canada in October,” a spokesperson said.
But in British Columbia, the existing COVID-19 vaccine will remain available until a new product is approved.
“We encourage people in British Columbia to wait for the new formula if they can, but in the meantime we are ensuring the vaccine remains available for people who need it,” such as for travel, to visit an immunocompromised family member or for vaccination prior to surgery, a spokesperson for British Columbia’s provincial health officer said.
A provincial spokesperson in Manitoba said most people will have a six-month gap between their last dose and this fall’s update. For that reason, all unused and expired doses of the XBB.1.5 vaccine were to be returned to the province by the end of August, with specific requests for the current vaccine being reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
According to doctors and vaccine experts, while the existing XBB jab is not perfectly matched to the circulating subvariants of Omikron, both the jab and the expected booster are expected to reduce the number of people ending up in hospital.
Health officials recommend getting booster vaccinations because the virus that causes COVID-19 continues to mutate, or change, and protection from infection and vaccinations decreases over time.
COVID is still making people sick
Several pharmacists in Ontario told CBC News that the XBB vaccine is not available today. The same is true in Alberta.
Fady Salama, a pharmacist in Toronto, said he was initially confused by the faxed notification to throw out existing vaccines.
“Why would we throw something away that is still good?” Salama said. “Sometimes we get faxes that are scams or fraud. It was confusing enough for me not to take it seriously at first.”
Salama said it’s odd that there’s no buffer period with vaccines at a time when COVID cases are high. He’s received inquiries from a few people seeking the vaccine, mostly older adults.
From August 24, COVID activity was high and declining in Quebec, moderate in Ontario, Alberta and New Brunswick, while data are not available for British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. National, 18.1 percent of PCR tests for COVID were positive in the week ending August 24. This is an underestimation, as the figures do not include those who do not get tested or get tested at home.
According to Dr. Donald Vinh, an infectious disease specialist at the McGill University Health Centre in Montreal, the number of COVID cases, hospitalizations and deaths attributed to the infection continue to rise in the city, but is still nowhere near the levels seen at the start of the pandemic.
“People are still getting infected,” Vinh said. “They’re getting sick from it, they need oxygen. It’s slowing down their treatments for other types of illnesses.”
A Quebec pharmacists association reports that the current vaccine is no longer available through them.
Vaccination appointment cancelled
A letter from Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health to vaccinators said that as part of Health Canada’s authorization of the new formulation for the fall, Health Canada will remove strain identifiers, such as XBB, from the vaccine’s naming convention. Instead, a single drug identification number, or DIN, will be used.
Vinh compared the federal notice to clearing out the warehouse to make room for new vaccine supply. It’s part of due diligence, he said, since no one knows how well the XBB vaccine protects against currently circulating variants.
“I think this is a harbinger that the updated wording is coming soon.”
Pressure from COVID-19 cases and a lack of primary care services have forced some emergency rooms in Quebec to operate at 140 per cent of capacity. Experts say Quebec is not alone and the pressure could become a crisis if the flu season drags on.
Health Canada says it is currently urgently reviewing submissions from Pfizer, Moderna and Novavax for updated COVID-19 vaccines for the planned fall campaigns.
“The withdrawal of the previous XBB vaccines is part of regulatory and supply management best practices and is consistent with the approach to annual influenza vaccines,” a Health Canada spokesperson said.
Federal health officials say they are working with provinces and territories on a transition plan, which includes a federal reserve of XBB vaccines for any unexpected public health needs.
“The plan provides each province and territory with the flexibility to ensure continued access to current supply until new vaccines are approved. This includes a transition period to full removal.”
Marie-Andree Lajoie, 64, of Ottawa, is planning a trip abroad and had an appointment for a booster at a local pharmacy for Friday, but it was cancelled on Wednesday.
“My option now is to go to New York state and get the updated vaccine,” Lajoie said. She was quoted $190 U.S. “Another option is to do it without a booster.”
