Fall COVID-19 Vaccine Update
More doses of COVID-19 vaccine will be available to children and adults beginning in September.
Starting the week of September 6, children aged five to 11 will be eligible for a first COVID-19 booster vaccine. Children aged five to 11 who have not completed their primary series – first two doses – are encouraged to do so as soon as possible so they are well protected this fall. The Pfizer pediatric vaccine is the only vaccine available as a booster for children aged five to 11.
Starting the week of September 19, another dose of COVID-19 vaccine will be available to people aged 12 and older, regardless of the number of booster doses they have previously received. More details will be available closer to that date.
“We know that immunity from previous COVID-19 infection decreases over time, so even if you have already had COVID-19, it remains important to continue to get any vaccine dose available to you,” said Dr. Robert Strang, Nova Scotia’s Chief Medical Officer of Health. “The combined protection from up-to-date vaccinations and COVID-19 infection can provide stronger immunity than from infection or vaccination alone. The COVID-19 vaccines available to us help to reduce severe outcomes, making it important for all Nova Scotians to get vaccinated as we are seeing more and more people becoming reinfected with COVID-19.”
For most people in Nova Scotia, the recommended interval between any COVID-19 vaccine doses after the primary series is 168 days since their last vaccine. People who have become infected with COVID-19 should wait 168 days from their infection before receiving their next dose of COVID-19 vaccine.
Some people, such as those who are moderately to severely immunocompromised, are eligible for a shortened interval of 120 days since their last vaccine. If these people become infected with COVID-19, they should wait 120 days from their infection before receiving their next dose of COVID-19 vaccine.
Booster dose appointments for children aged five to 11 will be available to book early in September, with the fall dose appointments for those 12 and older available in mid-September.
Once appointments are available, they can be booked online at https://novascotia.ca/vaccination or by calling 1-833-797-7772. Vaccine scheduling by phone is available Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. People who have not completed their primary series can also book the same way. Vaccines are administered at pharmacies.
Quick Facts:
- the Province has adopted the National Advisory Committee on Immunization’s (NACI’s) recommendations on offering a first booster dose of Pfizer pediatric COVID-19 vaccine to children aged five to 11 and offering a dose of COVID-19 vaccine in the fall to people 12 and older
Additional Resources:
The National Advisory Committee on Immunization’s recommendations on a fall booster program: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/immunization/national-advisory-committee-on-immunization-naci/guidance-planning-fall-2022-covid-19-vaccine-booster.html
NACI’s recommendations for a booster dose for children five to 11: https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/phac-aspc/documents/services/immunization/national-advisory-committee-on-immunization-naci/recommendations-use-first-booster-dose-pfizer-biontech-comirnaty-covid-19-vaccine-children-5-11-years.pdf
Nova Scotia’s COVID-19 Vaccine Plan: https://novascotia.ca/vaccineplan
Vaccination resources for youth and families: https://www.iwk.nshealth.ca/COVID-19/vaccination-resources
More information on who is considered immunocompromised is available at: https://novascotia.ca/coronavirus/immunocompromised/