Fall 2024 COVID-19 vaccine guidance

Advisory Alert

October 4, 2024

*Cette information est seulement disponible en anglais.

To: Local Health System Partners

FOR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION

Important Implementation Information

The Ontario 2024/2025 COVID-19 vaccine program aims to ensure that individuals stay up-to-date with their COVID-19 vaccinations to protect individual health, safeguard families and communities, and reduce the strains on our health care system.

This Advisory Alert contains important information about

• Recommended prioritization for COVID-19 immunization
• Vaccine availability and recommendations for use
• Vaccination of moderately to severely immunocompromised individuals
• Vaccine co-administration
• Vaccination after previous confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection
• Ordering COVID-19 vaccine
• COVaxON account reactivations

Your participation and support for the COVID-19 vaccine program is essential as we continue to adapt to the ongoing circulation of the SARS-CoV-2 virus as well as other vaccine-preventable respiratory diseases.

Recommended Prioritization for COVID-19 Immunization

All individuals 6 months and older are recommended to receive a COVID-19 vaccine this fall to ensure immunity to the newest variants.

The following individuals should be prioritized to receive vaccination as soon as it is available:

• Those at high risk of severe outcomes:
  • Adults 65 years of age and older
  • Individuals 6 months of age and older who
    • are residents of long-term care homes and other congregate living settings
    • are pregnant
    • are from First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities
    • are members of racialized and other equity-deserving communities
    • have underlying medical conditions that place them at higher risk of severe COVID-19, including children with complex health needs
  • Those prioritized to receive influenza vaccine (by co-administering COVID-19 vaccine), including
    • Children 6 months to 4 years of age
    • Health care workers
    • First responders
    • Those who provide essential community services.

Immunization of the general population aligns with the influenza campaign with a start date of October 28, 2024.

Vaccine Availability and Recommendations for Use

The publicly-funded COVID-19 vaccines available for the fall 2024 season are KP.2 formulations. The Ministry of Health will initiate the campaign with the updated Moderna Spikevax^® vaccine. The updated Pfizer-BioNTech Comirnaty^® vaccine will be available in the coming weeks once it has been shipped to the province. Further information will be shared about the Pfizer product as it is received.

Moderna Spikevax^® (PDF) is available for anyone 6 months and older, whether they’re starting or finishing their primary series of vaccines, as well as for those who have already been vaccinated.

Pfizer-BioNTech Comirnaty^® (PDF) 30 mcg formulation is available for immunization of previously immunized and unimmunized individuals 12 years of age and older.

Please refer to the appendix section of the Ministry of Health’s Health Care Provider Fact Sheet: COVID-19 Vaccine (PDF) for comprehensive vaccine schedule information.

Novavax non-mRNA COVID-19 vaccine has been approved for use in Canada; however, it is not anticipated to be available through the publicly-funded program this year.

Vaccination of Moderately to Severely Immunocompromised Individuals

As indicated by the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI), individuals considered to be moderately to severely immunocompromised are recommended to receive additional dose(s) of vaccine. A list of conditions and schedule information can be found in the Ministry of Health’s Health Care Provider Fact Sheet: COVID-19 Vaccine (PDF).

Vaccine Co-administration

COVID-19 vaccines can be given concurrently (for example the same day) or at any time before or after other live or non-live vaccines. Please consider co-administration of seasonal flu vaccine products whenever possible and appropriate.

Vaccination after previous confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection

Previously vaccinated individuals with test-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection may be immunized with the following interval considerations:

• Individuals with a previous completed primary series may be immunized 6 months, minimum 3 months, after infection.
• Non-immunocompromised individuals currently completing a primary series may be immunized 8 weeks after infection.
• Moderately to severely immunocompromised individuals currently completing a primary series may be immunized 4 to 8 weeks from infection.

Ordering COVID-19 Vaccine

Please consider ordering and administering COVID-19 vaccine for your practice. Vaccines are available to order through your normal ordering practices. Public Health Sudbury & Districts has needed to decrease the number of appointments compared to past seasons due to the end of provincial funding for COVID-19 vaccination work. Public Health will only be able to provide COVID-19 vaccine to individuals under the age of 12 and to individuals without an Ontario health card.

COVax_ON Account Reactivations

A reminder to authorized COVax_ON users to reactivate your accounts in anticipation of the fall vaccination campaign. To reactivate your account or for those creating new accounts please email COVaxAccounts@phsd.ca.

Additional Resources

Please refer to the following resources that provide further details on the vaccination campaign:

• Memo for Health Care Providers (PDF, English)
• Memo for Health Care Providers (PDF, French)
• Health Care Provider Fact Sheet: COVID-19 Vaccine (PDF, English)
• Health Care Provider Fact Sheet: COVID-19 Vaccine (PDF, French)

The Ministry of Health’s COVID-19 Vaccine Program website for health care providers has been updated with resources to support the 2024/2025 campaign, including vaccine storage and handling guidance. The site will be updated with further information once the Pfizer vaccine has been received.

Please also note the COVID-19 vaccine chapter in the Canadian Immunization Guide has been recently updated.

Contact Public Health Sudbury & Districts

• To order a vaccine, please complete the Respiratory Vaccine Order Form (PDF)and email it to vaccineorder@phsd.ca or fax it to 705.677.9616.
• To report an adverse event following immunization, complete the AEFI reporting form (PDF)and fax it to 705.677.9616.
• For immunization inquiries, call the Vaccine Preventable Diseases program at 705.522.9200, ext. 458 (toll-free 1.866.522.9200).

Thank you in advance for your ongoing commitment to protecting the health and safety of your patients through the promotion and administration of COVID-19 vaccine.

Sincerely,

Original Signed By

M. Mustafa Hirji, MD, MPH, FRCPC
Acting Medical Officer of Health and Chief Executive Officer

NOTE: All Advisory Alerts are found on our website.

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This item was last modified on October 4, 2024