Questions about Booster Doses
Why are booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccine needed?
Canada’s National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) has released guidance on booster COVID-19 vaccine doses in Canada with the following objectives: minimize serious illness and death, to preserve health care capacity, and reduce transmission to protect high risk populations.
Booster doses of COVID-19 vaccines can increase the immune response and offer more and longer-lasting protection against infection.
Who should get a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine?
PEI is following the guidance from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) for COVID-19 vaccination, including booster doses.
- Bivalent Omicron-containing mRNA COVID-19 vaccines continue to be the preferred booster product for all individuals 5 years of age and over. Individuals 5 years of age and older who have received a primary COVID-19 vaccine series are eligible to get an initial booster dose of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine (Pfizer Comirnaty® or Moderna Spikevax®) at least 6 months after receiving the last dose in the primary series of the COVID-19 vaccine.
- Adults 65 years of age and older, and individuals 5 to 64 years of age who are at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19 are strongly recommended by NACI to get a bivalent booster dose if they have not yet received a dose since the start of fall 2022.
- For children 5 to 11 years of age, NACI is currently recommending only one booster dose after the primary series. A bivalent booster dose may be offered at the recommended interval to children considered at high risk of severe COVID-19 who have previously received a booster dose of the original Pfizer-BioNTech (Comirnaty) vaccine.
On March 3rd 2023, the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) released an updated statement recommending an additional bivalent booster dose may be offered at least 6 months after the last dose of COVID-19 vaccine for individuals who are at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19.
- Adults 80 years of age and older
- Adult residents of long-term care homes and other congregate living settings for seniors or those with complex medical care needs
- Adults 18 years of age and older who are moderately to severely immunocompromised (due to an underlying condition or treatment)
- Adults 65 to 79 years of age, particularly if they do not have a known prior history of a COVID-19 infection.
The spring booster campaign will continue in PEI until May 31, 2023. A firm end date for the spring boosters has been established due to anticipated recommendations for a fall booster dose. Ending the Spring Booster Dose Program on May 31, 2023 will ensure an interval of 6 months between COVID-19 booster dose administrations for the highest risk population.
For those with a contraindication to a mRNA vaccine or Novavax Vaccine or their components, NACI recommends that they may be offered a viral vector COVID-19 vaccine as a one time booster dose.
Is a booster dose recommended for children under the age of 5?
Currently, a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine is not recommended for children under 5 years of age.
Is a booster dose recommended for pregnant individuals?
Pregnant individuals are recommended to have received a booster dose since the start of fall 2022. For those who have not yet received a fall 2022 booster, they are recommended to receive one, as per the interval of 6 months.
Where and when can I get a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine?
Residents of long-term care facilities will receive their booster doses at those facilities.
Individuals who meet the eligibility criteria for a booster dose can make an appointment to get a booster dose at either a COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic or a participating pharmacy.
I’ve already had COVID-19 and am fully vaccinated, do I still need to get a booster dose?
Even if you've already had COVID-19 and recovered, you should still get a bivalent booster dose. While you may experience some increase in immunity after being infected with COVID-19, that is not enough to increase your overall immunity over a longer period of time. Getting a booster dose, even after having COVID-19, will provide increased and longer-lasting protection to reduce future infection, community transmission and severe illness.
If you were recently infected, you can get your first booster dose 3 months after you first experienced symptoms of COVID-19 or since the date of your positive test (provided it has been 6 months since your last dose of vaccine).
Am I still considered “fully vaccinated” if I don’t get a booster dose?
Yes, you are still considered fully vaccinated two weeks after getting your second dose in a two-dose series (e.g. Pfizer-BioNTech ComirnatyTM, and Moderna SpikevaxTM, AstraZeneca VaxzevriaTM , Novavax NuvaxovidTM vaccines vaccines), or two weeks after a single-dose vaccine.
If we need a booster dose, are the vaccines working?
Yes. COVID-19 vaccines are working well to prevent severe illness, hospitalization, and death. However, public health experts are starting to see reduced protection from the primary vaccine series over time against mild and moderate disease, especially among certain high-risk populations. Getting a booster dose after receiving your primary series of the vaccine will increase and extend protection against the virus.
How does the booster dose better protect me from COVID-19 variants?
Clinical trials show that a booster dose increases the immune response in people who have finished a COVID-19 vaccine primary series 6 months earlier or who received a Jcovden single-dose vaccine 2 months earlier. With an increased immune response, people should have improved protection against getting infected with COVID-19.
I received the Pfizer-BioNTech ComirnatyTM vaccine for my first two doses, is it safe/effective to get the Moderna SpikevaxTM or Moderna SpikevaxTM Bivalent vaccine for my booster dose(s)?
Yes. Either Moderna Spikevax, Pfizer-BioNTech Corminaty, Pfizer-BioNTech Corminaty Bivalent or Moderna Spikevax Bivalent, vaccines may be used as a booster dose (regardless of which COVID-19 vaccine was used in the primary series).
Can I receive Novavax Nuvaxovid as a booster dose after receiving a mRNA or viral vector vaccine?
Yes. Novavax Nuvaxovid can be administered as a one-time booster dose to individuals 18 years and older who are unable or unwilling to receive a booster dose of mRNA or viral vector vaccine.
Do I need another booster in 6 months if I have already received a booster with a bivalent vaccine?
If you have received a booster dose with a bivalent COVID-19 vaccine within the past 6 months, you do not require any further doses of COVID-19 vaccine at this time, unless you are at risk of severe illness from COVID-19 and belong to an identified risk group by NACI and fit the criteria for a spring booster dose.
NACI continues to closely monitor COVID-19 activity across Canada, as well as emerging evidence on COVID-19 vaccines, and will update recommendations as needed.