Menu

Pfizer

rxTTNlar62o-scaled-1

Another COVID Vaccine Approved For Younger Kids

, , , , , ,

Health Canada has approved the use of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine in children aged six to 11.

Kids will receive two doses just like those 12 and older, but the dosage amounts will be cut in half.

The health agency says no serious adverse effects were observed during the clinical trial.

“The clinical trial showed that the immune response in children 6 to 11 years of age was comparable to the immune response in people 18 to 25 years of age, supporting the vaccine efficacy in this younger age group,” Health Canada said in a news release.

This is the second COVID-19 vaccine authorized in Canada for use in this younger age group.

Health Canada approved Pfizer’s pediatric COVID-19 vaccine in November.

Guidelines from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) say Moderna can be offered as an alternative, but the Pfizer vaccine is preferred for children aged six to 11.

NACI said while the rare risk of heart inflammation associated with the Moderna vaccine is unknown in the younger age group, it was higher for adolescents and young adults than with the Pfizer vaccine.

dr-supriya-sharma

Health Canada Approves Pill For COVID-19

, , , , ,

Pfizer Canada has received Health Canada approval for a use of a new COVID treatment in tablet form.

Paxlovid is intended for high-risk adults, 18 and older, who develop mild-to-moderate symptoms.

Dr. Supriya Sharma from Health Canada says a recent study on unvaccinated people who have COVID-19 symptoms showed Paxlovid to be very effective.

“The study showed that treatment with Paxlovid compared with no treatment, reduced the risk of hospitalization and death caused by COVID-19 by 89 percent when the medications were started within three days of the beginning of symptoms and 85 percent when started within five days,” states Dr. Sharma.

Dr. Sharma suggests studies show the pills are effective against the omicron variant.

“The recent data also included laboratory information confirming the effectiveness of the medication against the omicron variant. This submission included data from a clinical trial conducted in unvaccinated, non-hospitalized, high-risk adults, having COVID-19 symptoms.”

The pharmaceutical company says it will begin shipping it out as soon as possible.

Pfizer signed an agreement with the federal government for one million units this year.

Alexandra Hilkene is a spokesperson for the Minister of Health in Ontario and she issued the following statement:

“Ontario welcomes the news that Health Canada has approved Pfizer’s antiviral, Paxlovid.

We expect to receive approximately 10,000 courses of treatment from the federal government in January with details on timing of shipments to be confirmed.

Based on the limited supply we expect to receive from the federal government, we have worked with our hospital partners and are prepared for distribution of antivirals at 15 sites across the province as soon we receive them. Courses will initially be prioritized for adults with the highest risk of severe outcomes including immunocompromised patients and could help keep thousands of people out of our hospitals.

The arrival of these pills gives us increased confidence as we continue to review key indicators and data to determine when we can begin safely and gradually lifting public health measures, and we look forward to providing additional details in the near future.”

(With files from Randy Thoms)

Breaking-News-Acadia-2-e1540811420255

Health Canada Approves COVID Children’s Vaccines

, , ,

A significant move from Health Canada as they approve the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for children between the ages of 5 and 11.

This is the first COVID-19 vaccine authorized in Canada for use in this age group and marks a major milestone in Canada’s vaccine efforts.

The vaccine originally was submitted for approval for the age group on Oct. 18.

A statement regarding the approval was released Friday morning:

“After a thorough and independent scientific review of the evidence, the Department has determined that the benefits of this vaccine for children between 5 and 11 years of age outweigh the risks. Health Canada has authorized a two-dose regimen of 10 micrograms to be administered three weeks apart, which is a lower dose than the 30 micrograms two-dose regimen authorized for people 12 years of age and older. The clinical trial showed that the immune response in children 5 to 11 years of age was comparable to the immune response in people 16 to 25 years of age. The vaccine was 90.7% effective at preventing COVID-19 in children 5 to 11 years of age and no serious side effects were identified.”

Health Canada is currently still reviewing the Moderna vaccine for children aged 6 to 11.

Currently in Canada 78.8 per cent of people 12 and older have received at least one dose of an approved vaccine, while 75.3 per cent are fully vaccinated.

Canada’s chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam says the new lower dose will be 10 micrograms, compared to 30 for adults and teens.

Dr. Tam says data shows that the 10 microgram dose works very well at preventing symptomatic COVID-19 in that age group with an estimated accuracy of 90.7%

She notes the recommended time interval between first and second shot is at least 8 weeks.

Dr. Tam adds, “To date no serious safety concerns have been identified in the clinical trials. Going forward we will be closely monitoring domestic roll-out of the pediatric program in Canada and continuing to review accumulating evidence from International programs and studies.”

Details on the rollout are expected Friday afternoon.

50308119066_4fe7abf801_b

Pfizer, Moderna Receive Full Health Canada Approval

, , , ,

Both the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines have been granted full approval for anyone 12 years of age or older.

Pfizer was the first shot to be authorized in Canada on December 9, 2020, after clinical data showed it did in fact protect against COVID-19.

With this approval comes a renaming of both the vaccines, though they will still have the same formulation and be considered interchangeable by Health Canada.

Pfizer will now be referred to as Comirnaty and Moderna will be called Spikevax.

“Based on the longer-term follow-up data that we submitted, today’s decision by Health Canada affirms the efficacy and safety profile of our vaccine at a time when it is urgently needed,” said Fabien Paquette, Pfizer Canada’s Vaccine Lead. “While a significant number of eligible Canadians are fully vaccinated, there is still much work to be done as infection and hospitalization rates continue to rise across the country, primarily among unvaccinated populations.”

BioNTech has shipped more than 1.4-billion vaccines worldwide.

84.1 per cent of the Canadian population 12 and up have received at last one dose of Health Canada approved vaccine.

50768586607_c5bf082ab0_b

Health Canada Warns Of “Very Rare” Pfizer Side Effect

, , , , , , , , ,

A warning of a very rare side effect of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.

Health Canada says a small number of people in Canada and around the world have reported temporary weakness or paralysis on one side of the face after getting the vaccine.

The condition, called Bell’s Palsy, usually starts to improve in a few weeks and was already listed as a possible side effect of the Moderna vaccine.

Health Canada is looking into this issue in other COVID-19 vaccines, but says all authorized vaccines are still safe and protect against the virus.

50714715547_f8553552f9_b

Pfizer Doses Delayed, 318 New Ont. Cases

, , , , , ,

Anyone hoping to get the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine may have to choose Moderna instead.

Several health units in Southern Ontario have announced they’ll be using only Moderna doses this week because a shipment of more than 162,000 Pfizer doses has been delayed by two to three days.

In an update to Acadia News Sunday, The Thunder Bay District Health Unit confirmed that they are analyzing the supply and expect to provide an update on Monday.

The email went onto say that Southern Ontario health units usually receive Pfizer on Monday mornings whereas the Thunder Bay unit is delayed until Tuesday.

Health officials have emphasized the two vaccines are interchangeable, and that mixing doses is safe.

Ontario’s COVID-19 numbers are still trending downward with 318 new positive tests.

Most of Ontario’s variant cases are the Alpha strain, however federal officials say the Delta variant is increasing in some areas.

dr-theresa-tam

NACI Offers New Advice For 2nd AstraZeneca Shots

, , , , , , , , , , , ,

A key federal advisory committee is no longer recommending that Canadians receive a second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine.

The National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) previously said that people who received a first dose of AstraZeneca could get it as their second or could choose an mRNA vaccine, such as Pfizer or Moderna.

But new guidance released Thursday said the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine is “now preferred” for the second dose.

“This change is based on emerging evidence indicating a potentially better immune response from this mixed vaccine schedule and to mitigate the potential risk of VITT associated with viral vector vaccines,” Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada’s chief public health officer, said in a news conference.

VITT is a rare blood clot that has occurred in some people who received the AstraZeneca shot.

NACI also recommended that an mRNA vaccine is preferred as a first dose unless one is inaccessible or there is a contraindication, for example, an allergy to an mRNA vaccine or its components.

“I wish to emphasize that people who received two doses of the AstraZeneca/COVISHIELD vaccine can rest assured that the vaccine they received provides good protection against infection and very good protection against severe disease and hospitalization,” said Tam.

NACI is now also recommending that people who received Pfizer or Moderna as their first dose should be offered the same vaccine for their second.

Tam said if the same vaccine is not readily available, the mRNA vaccines are considered “interchangeable,” meaning a person can be offered another mRNA vaccine instead.

50714640066_2c6015a16d_b

Ontario Shortens AstraZeneca Second Dose Interval

, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The province moves to shorten the interval between the second dose for those who received the AstraZeneca vaccine.

You now have the option to choose AstraZeneca again or take the Pfizer of Moderna vaccine in as little as eight weeks.

Health officials, in a statement Saturday, indicated that while waiting 12 weeks will help to provide more protection, some may choose to receive their second dose sooner to have the increased protection provided by a second dose earlier.

Starting Monday, June 14, at 8:00 a.m. you can book your second dose through the provincial booking system, or through the Thunder Bay District Health Unit or Northwestern Health Unit.

Dr.-Kit-Young-Hoon-at-RRDMA-2018-1-1

NWHU Responds To Vaccine Announcement

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Being able to mix COVID-19 vaccines gives the Northwestern Health Unit more flexibility.

Medical Officer of Health Doctor Kit Young Hoon says that’s especially good for those who had AstraZeneca for their first dose.

“Because of the concerns related to the vaccine-induced blood clots,” says Doctor Young Hoon, “clients are given the option of considering a different vaccine for their second dose.”

She explains that just because they can doesn’t mean that they will.

“We would be aiming to provide the same vaccine (they got for their first dose) if it is available (and) at this time, both Pfizer and Moderna are available in the region.”

Doctor Young Hoon adds that should supply issues arise it’s nice to know they have the option to mix vaccines.

“We now know that the option is there. Because both (Pfizer and Moderna) are mRNA vaccines, it makes them interchangeable if we need to use the other one.”

To date, the Northwestern Health Unit has administered 55,564 doses of COVID-19 vaccine.

justin-trudeau

Canada Secures More COVID-19 Vaccines

, , , , , , , , , , ,

The federal government has secured millions of more doses of COVID-19 vaccine for Canadians, the prime minister announced Tuesday.

Justin Trudeau said they have reached a deal with Pfizer to buy an additional 20 million doses of their vaccine.

That is on top of the 20 million doses Canada has already secured through the pharmaceutical corporation.

“From our agreements with Moderna and Pfizer alone, we will now have 80 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines arriving this year,” Trudeau told reporters.

Trudeau said they are on track to have every Canadian who wants a vaccine receive one by September.

Meanwhile, the federal government has released a forecasted vaccine delivery schedule for provinces and territories through the end of February.

“This will make sure that they have the vaccines and the information they need to keep rolling out doses as quickly, as smoothly, and as efficiently as possible,” said Trudeau.

More than 2.7 million doses are expected to be distributed across the country over the next seven weeks, with distribution ramping up in February.

Ontario is expected to receive more than 1 million doses while Manitoba will get more than 101,000 doses.

New Brunswick is expected to get nearly 55,000 doses while Nova Scotia will receive more than 71,000 doses.

As of Jan. 7, nearly 550,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine had been distributed across the country.

Trudeau says the federal government will continue to work to get more vaccines delivered as soon as possible.

Load More