A variant-targeting COVID-19 vaccine's now available through a local health unit.
Public Health Sudbury and Districts says Moderna's bivalent mRNA vaccine - which offers protection against the original strain and the Omicron variant - is now available for certain groups: those 70 or older; residents of long-term care or retirement homes, elder care lodges, or other congregate settings with assisted living and health services; First Nation, Inuit, and Metis individuals and their non-Indigenous household members; pregnant individuals; health care workers; and - at clinical discretion - moderately to severely immunocompromised individuals as young as 12.
That aligns with the provincial government's guidance announced Monday, and - in line with that - the health unit notes eligibility will expand to all adults eighteen and older on September 26th.
To be eligible, individuals must have received their primary - normally two dose - series of COVID-19 vaccine at least - the number of booster doses does not matter - and it must be at least six months since the last vaccine dose.