Canada Prepares for COVID-19 Vaccine Transition Amid Rising Cases

Health Canada has instructed provinces to recall and discard last year’s COVID-19 vaccines in anticipation of new ones. A spokesperson for Ontario’s Ministry of Health stated that the province plans to distribute the vaccines once they are officially approved and supplied.

According to the federal government’s immunization guidelines, the Omicron variant XBB XBB.1.5 vaccine is no longer available in Canada. Vaccines targeting the new JN.1 and KP.2 variants are expected to be approved soon. The rapid spread of COVID-19 across Canada is confirmed by wastewater testing and positivity data.

Alberta Health has confirmed that vaccines for the existing variants are no longer available, and Quebec’s public health director has ordered current stockpiles to be returned to Ottawa. Saskatchewan has discarded Moderna SpikeVax XBB.1.5 and Pfizer Comirnaty XBB.1.5 vaccines as it awaits new vaccines.

However, there are concerns that a smooth transition is needed to ensure uninterrupted vaccine supply. In response, the Ministry of Health and Welfare stated that it is discussing vaccine transition plans with each state and region and is in consultation to avoid confusion during the transition process.

Despite reduced testing across the country, wastewater monitoring data shows the COVID-19 virus is still actively spreading. The wastewater monitoring dashboard reports “high levels of COVID-19 activity.” By province, high activity levels are reported in British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador. Intermediate levels are reported in Yukon, Alberta, and Quebec, with no data yet available for the Northwest Territories or Nunavut.

The positivity rate for recent tests on August 24 was 18%, the highest since the wave of infections last winter.