Amidst the onset of respiratory illnesses this flu season, Canada has fortified its defences against the persistent threat of COVID-19 with the approval of another vaccine.
Health Canada on Tuesday approved the updated Novavax vaccine, marking the third updated booster available to Canadians alongside those from Pfizer and Moderna.
Nuvaxovid XBB.1.5 has been authorized for people ages 12 and older and is designed to protect against Omicron XBB.1.5 subvariants. It may be given to people who have been previously vaccinated or who have not previously had a shot, Health Canada said.
The updated vaccine stands apart from other COVID-19 shots, as it’s protein-based and does not use mRNA technology. These vaccines contain a modified version of the spike protein itself, unlike mRNA vaccines that have molecular manufacturing instructions for the body to make the spike protein.
Only one dose of the updated vaccine is needed for those Canadians who have already had their primary series, according to Health Canada. However, if you have previously not been vaccinated, you will need two doses of the primary series.
The approval comes months after Health Canada gave the green light to Moderna’s updated COVID-19 vaccine on Sept. 12 and Pfizer’s on Sept. 28.
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