Moderna submits for approval of Spikevax booster dose to Health Canada

Health Canada says it has received a submission from Moderna for the approval of a booster dose of the SpikeVax vaccine.

The government agency says it’s now conducting a “thorough, independent and evidence-based review of the submission.”

Moderna submitted data on a booster shot that is half the size of the doses used to give first and second shots of the vaccine so far.

Last month, the company said there were signs immunity was waning the longer people got from their doses.

The National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) has recommended booster doses of COVID-19 vaccine for higher risk Canadians such as residents of long-term care homes, and those who are moderately to severely immunocompromised.

Earlier this year Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the country would be getting 35-million booster doses from Pfizer.

Health Canada says NACI will continue to monitor the evolving evidence regarding booster doses for both key populations and the general public and will update guidance as needed.

Public health and vaccine experts in Canada are cautious of recommending booster shots for most Canadians because the vaccines thus far are showing to maintain strong protection against severe disease even if protection against infection at all is dropping.

Booster shots have also been controversial because of the inequitable distribution of vaccines between wealthy and poorer countries. Millions of people globally haven’t been able to access even one dose of vaccine, and the World Health Organization has asked countries to limit booster shots so other countries can access the vaccines as well.