Canadians across the country mark Remembrance Day
Canadians gathered Monday in cities and towns across the country to honour the sacrifice of men and women in uniform who gave their lives in service of the country's values and principles.
a booster of Pfizer-BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine for people over the age of 18, though third doses have already been given to high-risk people across the country.
The booster is designed to help people with their first two COVID-19 vaccine doses maintain their protection against the virus over time.
The booster is identical to the regular Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, and is to be given at least six months after the first two vaccine doses. Clinical trials have shown side-effects more or less the same as those experienced with the original two doses of the vaccine.
Health Canada's review found the booster dose met the regulator's safety, efficacy and quality requirements, according to a news release from the department.
Different provinces have employed different rollout strategies for booster doses, and mRNA vaccines like Pfizer-BioNTech have already been used to offer longer-lasting protection to high-risk people in several parts of the country.
Most boosters have so far been administered to the immunocompromised, people of advanced age, people in long-term care, Indigenous populations, and front-line health workers.
The National Advisory Committee on Immunization has also recommended a booster for people who received two doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca or one dose of the Janssen vaccine, because of evidence of waning immunity over time.
There is no evidence of waning protection over time against severe COVID-19 in the general vaccinated population, according to NACI's latest advice.
However at a briefing last Friday. Dr. Theresa Tam suggested some areas of the country with a high number of COVID-19 cases and good vaccine coverage may be suffering from the effects of waning immunity.
“Some of these populations have had the vaccine the earliest and therefore the longest time since vaccination,†she said. “There's been reports of some observations of waning immunity against infection, and in some cases, they have had some severe outcomes.â€
Many provinces have already begun to look ahead to booster campaigns for the entire population.
Ontario is eyeing early 2022 to expand booster doses to all adults, based on a six-to-eight month interval after people received their second doses.
Officials there still note that two doses provide very good protection against COVID-19, especially against serious illness.
Moderna has also applied to Health Canada to approve its COVID-19 booster shot, which uses a smaller amount of vaccine than the first two doses.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 9, 2021
Canadians gathered Monday in cities and towns across the country to honour the sacrifice of men and women in uniform who gave their lives in service of the country's values and principles.
Canada has announced changes to their visitor visa policies, effectively ending the automatic issuance of 10-year multiple-entry visas, according to new rules outlined by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump is naming longtime adviser Stephen Miller, an immigration hard-liner, to be the deputy chief of policy in his new administration.
Toy giant Mattel says it 'deeply' regrets an error on the packaging of its 'Wicked' movie-themed dolls, which mistakenly links toy buyers to a pornographic website.
If Earth's astronomical observatories were to pick up a signal from outer space, it would need an all-hands-on-deck effort to decipher the extraterrestrial message. A father-daughter team of citizen scientists recently deciphered the message. Its meaning, however, remains a mystery.
Business groups are raising concerns about the broad effects of another round of labour disruptions in the transport sector as Canada faces shutdowns at its two biggest ports.
A team of tornado experts is heading to Fergus, Ont. after a storm ripped through the area Sunday night.
Researchers are uncovering deeper insights into how the human brain ages and what factors may be tied to healthier cognitive aging, including exercising, avoiding tobacco, speaking a second language or even playing a musical instrument.
Since the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 Dobbs decision eliminated the federal right to abortion, miscarriage management has become trickier and in some cases, deadlier.
A congestion crisis, a traffic nightmare, or unrelenting gridlock -- whatever you call it, most agree that Toronto has a congestion problem. To alleviate some of the gridlock, the Ontario government has announced it plans to remove bike lanes from three major roadways.
For the second year in a row, the ‘Gift-a-Family’ campaign is hoping to make the holidays happier for children and families in need throughout Barrie.
Some of the most prolific photographers behind CTV Skywatch Pics of the Day use the medium for fun, therapy, and connection.
A young family from Codroy Valley, N.L., is happy to be on land and resting with their newborn daughter, Miley, after an overwhelming, yet exciting experience at sea.
As Connor Nijsse prepared to remove some old drywall during his garage renovation, he feared the worst.
A group of women in Chester, N.S., has been busy on the weekends making quilts – not for themselves, but for those in need.
A Vancouver artist whose streetside singing led to a chance encounter with one of the world's biggest musicians is encouraging aspiring performers to try their hand at busking.
Ten-thousand hand-knit poppies were taken from the Sanctuary Arts Centre and displayed on the fence surrounding the Dartmouth Cenotaph on Monday.
A Vancouver man is saying goodbye to his nine-to-five and embarking on a road trip from the Canadian Arctic to Antarctica.