Pfizer Bivalent COVID-19 Vaccine Now Available for People 12 and Older

Starting today, October 26, people aged 12 or older can book Pfizer’s bivalent COVID-19 vaccine.

Public Health recommends that Nova Scotians 12 and older who are eligible for a dose of COVID-19 vaccine this fall receive a bivalent vaccine because it offers better protection against Omicron strains.

Moderna’s COVID-19 bivalent vaccine is also available to people 18 and older. Both bivalent vaccines are safe and effective. Nova Scotians should choose the first available appointment they are eligible for rather than waiting for a specific brand of vaccine.

“We’re hearing more and more Nova Scotians are trying to get an appointment to receive a bivalent COVID-19 vaccine, which is great news,” said Dr. Robert Strang, Nova Scotia’s Chief Medical Officer of Health. “We have plenty of vaccine supply in the province. Today, we have added tens of thousands of appointments to the system across the province.”

For most people in Nova Scotia, the recommended interval between any COVID-19 vaccine doses after the primary series is 168 days since their last vaccine. People who have become infected with COVID-19 should wait 168 days from their infection before receiving their next dose of COVID-19 vaccine.

Some people, such as those who are moderately to severely immunocompromised and people aged 70 and older, are eligible for a shortened interval of 120 days from their last vaccine. If these people become infected with COVID-19, they should wait 120 days from their infection before receiving their next dose of COVID-19 vaccine.

Appointments can be booked online at https://novascotia.ca/vaccination or by calling 1-833-797-7772. Vaccine scheduling by phone is available Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. People who have not completed their primary series can also book the same way. Vaccines are administered at pharmacies.

Quick Facts:

• the Province has adopted the recommendations of the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) on use of Pfizer’s bivalent COVID-19 vaccine
• the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 bivalent vaccines are the only bivalent vaccines authorized for use in Canada
• people five years old and older can safely receive the influenza vaccine before, after or even at the same time as receiving the COVID-19 vaccine

Additional Resources:

NACI’s recommendations on COVID-19 vaccine booster doses in Canada: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/immunization/national-advisory-committee-on-immunization-naci/guidance-covid-19-vaccine-booster-doses.html