Health Canada Approves Moderna’s New mRNA COVID-19 Vaccine

A nurse prepares a COVID-19 vaccine in Toronto on March 23, 2021. Cole Burston/Getty Images

Health Canada has approved Moderna’s updated COVID-19 vaccine, called Spikevax, for those six months of age and older.

Moderna said it would be providing the updated doses to the Public Health Agency of Canada, to be distributed to provinces and territories.

The company said the updated vaccine will target the KP.2 subvariant of Omicron. The new vaccine replaces previous doses that targeted the XBB.1.5 subvariant of Omicron.

The move by Health Canada comes just a couple of weeks after health agencies across the country were advised to discard old COVID-19 vaccine supplies.

The agency is also reviewing two other updated COVID-19 vaccines, including Pfizer’s Comirnaty and Novavax’s protein-based vaccine, before authorization.

Novavax’s new vaccine targets the JN.1 variant, while Pfizer’s new vaccine, similar to Moderna, targets the KP.2 strain, a descendant of JN.1.

“With vaccines ready, Moderna will begin delivery of updated doses to the Public Health Agency of Canada, ensuring supply is available in time for provincial and territorial vaccination campaigns,” the company said in a news release.

Health Canada told The Epoch Times that with authorization by Health Canada, doses of Moderna’s mRNA vaccine are expected to arrive in Canada within days.

“Provinces and territories administer vaccination campaigns and can provide further information on their roll-outs,” Health Canada said in an email.

The Canadian Press contributed to this report.