Pfizer’s latest vaccine against the current variant of COVID-19 is set to be available this fall in Canada, the company announced on Tuesday.
In a news release, Pfizer Canada and BioNTech said that Health Canada authorized the LP.8.1 variant COVID-19 vaccine for individuals six months and older.
The updated vaccine targets the Omicron LP.8.1 variant of COVID-19.
The company said the vaccine will be available in most pharmacies across the country in the fall, noting each province has different eligibility criteria for its public vaccination program.
Provincial and territorial health authorities will share more details about rollouts.
Most provinces and territories in Canada do not charge Canadians for the COVID-19 vaccine, however Alberta recently changed its own strategy, requiring residents who want it this year to pre-order the shot and pay for it out of their own pocket.
The cost is not yet known.
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The change took effect last week but was first announced in June after the federal government put the provinces in charge of buying COVID-19 vaccines, as is routine with other immunization programs.
Alberta is also making the vaccine only available through a public health clinic and not a pharmacy.
The cost of vaccinations will be covered for seniors in care homes or receiving home care, those with compromised immune systems and people on social programs.
Pfizer said the approval of the vaccine by Health Canada is “based on the cumulative body of evidence previously submitted by Pfizer and BioNTech,” including clinical, non-clinical and real-world data.
Global News has reached out to Health Canada about the approval and what vaccines have been approved related to targeting the LP.8.1 variant and when they’ll be made available to provinces for use.
— With files from Global News’ Ken MacGillivray and Meghan Cobb
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