A modified version of the Moderna Spikevax Covid-19 vaccine, which protects against both the original SARS-CoV-2 virus found in 2019 and the Omicron variant, has been approved by Health Canada.

A "bivalent" vaccine, as described in the agency′s announcement on Thursday, is approved for use as a booster dose in those 18 years of age or older. This is the first bivalent Covid-19 vaccination approved in Canada. Additionally, the agency claimed that the bivalent Moderna Spikevax booster was equally safe and reliable, with minor side effects that vanished fast. 

Health Canada said that the data from the clinical trials showed that a booster dose of the bivalent Moderna Spikevax vaccine strongly induces an immune response that protects against both Omicron (BA.1) and the original strain of SARS-CoV-2 virus found in 2019. Additionally, it was found to produce a robust immune response against the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants, increasing the protection duration. (ETHealthWorld, September 02, 2022)