COVID-19 Bivalent Booster

As most of you know, we are having our annual Flu Shot clinic here at The Pines. Most of you have consented and we are very grateful for that! We will confirm the clinics early next week and send out information.

This year is not like other years, we also have the new Bi-Valent Covid vaccine out and available to our residents. Here is a little bit of information about the Covid-19 Vaccine.

COVID-19 vaccination:
What you need to know about the new “bivalent” booster

You have likely heard in the media that Health Canada authorized a new “bivalent” COVID-19 vaccine on Sept. 1, 2022. There has been a lot of discussion about this new vaccine, so we asked Dr. Matt Morgan, our Chief Medical Officer, to answer some common questions.

What is a “bivalent” vaccine? Bivalent means that it combines vaccines for two strains of the virus. The Moderna Spikevax Bivalent (50 mcg) COVID-19 vaccine offers strong immunity against the original SARS-CoV-2 virus strain, as well as Omicron variants.

When will the bivalent vaccine be available to Canadians? Each province and each local health unit will have its own timeline. All health units should receive it by the end of September.

Will this replace existing vaccines? No. The bivalent vaccine is an additional tool in our COVID-19 toolkit, but it’s not right for everyone. The bivalent vaccine can be given between three and six months after prior vaccination or infection. At this time, based on information available, I would recommend that residents, staff and essential caregivers wait for three months (90 days) after a COVID infection and four months (120 days) from prior COVID vaccination.

Guidelines will differ by province and health unit, so it’s best to check your local public health unit’s website for more information. (Tip: If you’re not sure when you received your last COVID-19 vaccine, you can get a copy of your vaccine certificate online: https://www.ontario.ca/get-proof/

Will you be offering the bivalent vaccine to residents and team members? Yes! We will be offering the bivalent vaccine to our residents and staff starting in October.

Can my loved one get the Bi-valent vaccine and influenza Vaccine at the same time? Yes! We now know much about both vaccines so individuals at the Pines have this option. (This is not recommended for children 6-5years old).