With COVID-19 now considered largely endemic, physicians would be wise to add the latest available viral vaccine to their annual influenza vaccination schedule. states.
Infectious disease specialist Dr. Isaac Bogoch said, “We know that the coronavirus is not going away anytime soon, and that it’s circulating all year round, but we know that it’s more prevalent in the fall and winter.” talk.
Viruses mutate rapidly, so new variants emerge regularly and vaccines need to be adjusted accordingly.
“The coronavirus is constantly changing, so we need to start updating vaccines to match the main circulating strains,” explains pediatrician and infectious disease specialist Dr. Anna Banerji.
New coronavirus vaccine
Currently available COVID-19 vaccines are optimized against the XBB 1.5 mutation of the Omicron strain that emerged last year. Later, new variants named KP.2 and JN.1 emerged.
The three vaccines approved for the fall season have been modified to combat these new variants.
“New types of vaccines take time to develop, so there will always be a lag[between the emergence of new variants and new vaccines]. There is a better match,” says Banerji.
The Pfizer-BioNTech Comirnaty and Moderna Spikevax vaccines are mRNA-based and target KP.2, while the Novavax Nuvaxovid vaccine is protein-based and targets JN.1.
Moderna Spikevax is intended for children 6 months of age and older. Pfizer-BioNTech Comirnaty and Novavax Nuvaxovid are for ages 12 and older.
Bogoch says it’s best to get any vaccine available.
“The goal here is obviously to reduce the risk of severe symptoms, such as hospitalization and death. All available vaccines can help achieve that goal,” he says.
Banerjee said that although there are no longer reports of mass casualties from the coronavirus like at the height of the pandemic, vaccination remains important.
“I think the majority of us have had some vaccinations and have some level of immunity. Additionally, most of us have had the coronavirus at some point, so , have partial immunity,” she says.
“Vaccines boost your immunity and keep you from getting sick. You’re less likely to get infected, but even if you do get infected, it won’t be as severe and you won’t be able to spread it to others. If you don’t have it, you can’t spread it.”
If you have previously been vaccinated, it is recommended that you get your next dose after 6 months, but you can also wait at least 3 months apart. If you have recently had COVID-19, the same interval applies between your infection and your next vaccination.
Click here to learn more about vaccine schedules and when to receive them.
Who should get vaccinated?
“If you look at the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) recommendations, they actually use different words, ‘should’ and ‘may,'” Bogoch explains.
“People who should receive the vaccine are people aged 65 and older and those with underlying health conditions that put them at higher risk of severe infection. People living in congregate care facilities such as long-term care homes, senior lodges and Indigenous communities. ”
Pregnant people, people from racialized and other disadvantaged communities, and people who provide essential services also fall into the “must be vaccinated” category.
“Other people (age 6 months and older) may be able to get the vaccine, which means you can get the vaccine too. Some may march to their GP’s office; others may have additional questions or concerns they would like to address before figuring this out.
For people who don’t have a primary care physician, a variety of health care providers, such as pharmacists and nurses, can provide information and answer questions to help make vaccination decisions.
RS virus season has arrived
Bogogh and Banerji also warned that respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) also tends to spike in the fall and winter.
“RSV is the number one reason babies are hospitalized around the world. The younger you are, the more likely you are to get severe disease. But also, if you are indigenous to a particular community, “As we have been studying Inuit babies for almost 30 years, they have multiple risk factors for developing very severe RSV,” says Banerji.
For infants, RSV protection is provided in the form of monoclonal antibody preparations, nirsevimab and palivizumab.
The RSVpreF vaccine Abrysvo is recommended for pregnant mothers.
“What happens is that when you get the vaccine, the mother produces antibodies, and those antibodies are transferred to the baby before the baby is born. So the baby is born with some level of immunity,” Banerji said. he explains.
Like influenza, RSV can be more severe in older adults, and two vaccines are available: RSVPreF3 (Arexvy) and RSVpreF (Abrysvo).
“The National Advisory Committee on Immunization recommends this RSV vaccine for people 75 years of age and older, especially those with risk factors for serious infections. RSV acts like the flu and is a powerful “It’s a nasty virus,” Bogoch said.
He added that some Canadians have already received the vaccine and that it appears to be effective for a long time.
“It looks like it’s going to last about two years, but maybe a little longer,” he says.
Click here to learn more about RSV and how to protect yourself.
