All adults eligible for Moderna bivalent booster starting Thursday

Starting Thursday, any adult eligible for a COVID-19 booster dose in Saskatchewan can get Moderna’s bivalent vaccine.

According to the Ministry of Health, the boosters are available through Saskatchewan Health Authority clinics and participating pharmacies. The recommendation is to wait at least four months after any other COVID vaccination before getting the bivalent booster, regardless of how many doses have already been received.

“If you have had COVID-19, you can receive any booster dose once you have recovered; however, you may choose to wait up to three months post-infection for a booster dose to receive the best immune response,” the ministry said in a media release.

People booking a vaccine appointment in advance do not have to specify which vaccine they would prefer, the ministry said. The option will instead be provided to eligible people at the time of their vaccination.

“The Moderna bivalent vaccine protects against the original strain of COVID-19 as well as (providing) enhanced protection against the currently circulating Omicron variants,” the ministry said.

“Safety monitoring showed that any side effects experienced were similar to those of the Moderna booster and were typically mild and self-resolving.”

Saskatchewan has seen a number of side effects result from COVID-19 vaccinations, but as of Sept. 18, no vaccine-related deaths have been reported in the province.

All Saskatchewan residents six months and older are currently eligible for vaccination against COVID-19.