Is an Omicron-tailored shot worth the wait as fall COVID surge looms? Experts weigh in

Health Canada is currently reviewing bivalent booster candidates from Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech, which leaves some Canadians debating if they should wait for the revamped shots.

Anticipation is mounting for Canada to approve an updated version of the COVID-19 vaccine as fall threatens to usher in a new wave of infections.

Earlier this week, British regulators became the first in the world to authorize Moderna’s bivalent vaccine, which protects against both the original strain of the novel coronavirus and the Omicron BA.1 subvariant.

Health Canada is currently reviewing bivalent booster candidates from Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech, which leaves some Canadians debating whether to wait for the revamped shots or go for a booster now.

With viral circulation projected to pick up as the season changes, some provinces are encouraging people to get a booster of the approved version of the vaccine. For many people, that would mean a fourth or fifth dose of the original formula.

Experts say the extent to which the bivalent vaccines provide additional protection from catching COVID-19 is still being studied, and the cost-benefit analysis of waiting for one depends on the person.

Here’s a look at what we know about the bivalent vaccines, and how they could factor into a fall wave.

Health Canada received Moderna’s bivalent vaccine application on June 30, while its British counterpart got the paperwork to start its review earlier that month, spokesman Mark Johnson said in an email. Pfizer filed a submission for its updated shot on July 25.

While the agency didn’t provide a timeline on when these reviews are set to wrap up, Health Canada has already asked vaccine manufacturers to further tweak their bivalent vaccines to target the fast-spreading Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants “as soon as possible,” Johnson said.