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Bivalent COVID-19 booster available for those eligible

September 22, 2022   ·   0 Comments

The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit is offering the bivalent COVID-19 booster to priority groups who are at greatest risk of hospitalization, severe illness, or death from COIVD-19 infection.

This includes people age 70 years and older and long-term care residents.

The bivalent mRNA vaccine targets the original COVID-19 virus and the Omicron B1 variant and will help offer protection during the anticipated fall surge.

As of September 13, eligible individuals can receive the bivalent booster at the at the recommended interval of at least six months from their previous dose, regardless of how many boosters they have already received.

The dose will be available on at local GO-VAXX bus visits and at SMDHU clinics.

Groups that are encouraged to book appointments to receive the booster include those 70 years of age and older, residents of long-term care homes, retirement homes, Elder Care Lodges, and those living in the other congregate settings.

Also included are First Nation, Inuit and Métis adults and non-Indigenous household members age 18 and older, pregnant individuals age 18 and over, health care workers, and moderately to severely immunocompromised individuals age 12 and older.

To prioritize distribution to these priority groups, new booster appointments for people 18 years and older will be paused until September 26, when bivalent booster eligibility expands to those 18 and over.

Appointments for the bivalent booster are available through the provincial COVID-19 Vaccination Portal or by calling the Provincial Vaccine Contact Centre at 1-833-943-3900.

Walk-ins are currently unavailable.

By Brian Lockhart

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