You’re in a key spot to identify patients who are previously unvaccinated or needing a spring dose of an XBB.1.5 COVID-19 vaccine.
Only about 15% of Canadians have received an XBB.1.5 vaccine.
Patients who receive an XBB.1.5 COVID-19 vaccine are expected to have a better immune response against current circulating variants, including subvariants JN.1 and HV.1.
But vaccine effectiveness wanes over time. And older patients remain vulnerable to severe illness due to COVID-19.
Continue to ask patients about their COVID-19 vaccine history...and document it on their patient profile.
Your pharmacist will need this info to determine if further doses are needed now that vaccine schedules are simpler.
Previously UNvaccinated patients over 5 years old should get ONE dose of an XBB.1.5 mRNA vaccine...or children 6 months to under 5 should get 2 doses of Spikevax XBB.1.5 or 3 doses of Comirnaty Omicron XBB.1.5, 8 weeks apart.
Use this table to help keep doses straight.
It’s okay for patients to get an XBB.1.5 vaccine if they started a series with an earlier formulation (original monovalent, bivalent, etc).
For example, patients over 5 years who received one dose of an earlier formulation can finish the primary series with one XBB.1.5 dose.
Help identify patients who may need an additional XBB.1.5 dose this spring. These patients previously received the XBB.1.5 vaccine, but are at increased risk for severe
COVID-19...such as adults over age 65 or residents of long-term care.
Keep in mind that the spring dose should be given about 6 months from the last COVID-19 vaccine dose or COVID-19 illness for most patients.
And continue to give other immunizations (flu, pneumococcal, etc) at the same time, if needed.
See our resources, COVID-19 Vaccines, to compare options...and Communicating About COVID-19 Vaccination, to address concerns.
- Health Canada. Guidance on an additional dose of COVID-19 vaccines in the spring of 2024 for individuals at high risk of severe illness due to COVID-19. January 12, 2024. https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/phac-aspc/documents/services/publications/vaccines-immunization/national-advisory-committee-immunization-guidance-additional-dose-covid-19-vaccines-spring-2024-individuals-high-risk-severe-illness-due-covid-19/naci-statement-2024-01-12.pdf (Accessed March 1, 2024).
- Health Canada. Updated guidance on the use of COVID-19 vaccines in individuals who have not previously been vaccinated against COVID-19. https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/phac-aspc/documents/services/publications/vaccines-immunization/national-advisory-committee-immunization-updated-guidance-covid-19-vaccines-individuals-not-previously-vaccinated/naci-statement-2023-10-27.pdf (Accessed March 1, 2024).