Health Canada approves updated COVID-19 vaccine for winter

By Your Southwest Media Group

An updated vaccine will go into those intending to protect themselves from COVID-19 this winter.

Health Canada officials have approved the latest version of the Comirnaty vaccine, a statement from Pfizer Canada and BioNTech SE said.

They approved the "XFG variant-adapted" vaccine for anyone older than six months. It "targets the Omicron XFG lineage, in alignment with public health recommendations for the 2026-2027 season," the statement said.

The companies' evidence "includes clinical, non-clinical and real-world data supporting the safety and effectiveness" of the Comirnaty vaccine, the statement explained. The two companies developed the vaccine "based on BioNTech's proprietary mRNA technology," but it "may not protect all individuals" and should be used according to the latest guidelines, the statement added.

"The virus continues to evolve," noted Dr. Sean Gardiner of Pfizer Canada, which "has secured sufficient inventory to fulfill all contractual commitments with federal and provincial vaccination programs," the statement said. The vaccine "uses mRNA technology to generate an immune response against the spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus," it said.

Meanwhile, the Public Health Agency of Canada is now responsible for administering a program intended to help anyone who's "experienced a serious and permanent vaccine-related injury," another statement said.

The agency has taken over the vaccine impact assistance program, "bringing existing claims and appeals, financial supports and a significant volume of claim information and documentation under direct" federal administration, that statement said.

Agency officials have "also prioritized continuity of approved financial supports for eligible claimants," it said. Their focus now is "assessing the more than 2,000 open claims and appeals already in the system."