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By rdnewsNOW Staff

Starting Oct. 24

BA.4 and BA. 5 COVID-19 bivalent vaccine available soon

Oct 15, 2022 | 8:00 AM

Provincial government officials say Albertans 12 years of age and older will soon have an additional COVID-19 vaccine choice.

Beginning Oct. 24, the bivalent Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine booster, which includes the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants, will be available in Alberta for those 12 years and older.

This is in addition to the currently available bivalent Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, which includes the BA.1 subvariant. The province says these vaccines are available on a voluntary basis.

“We recognize that many Albertans are looking to receive their COVID-19 booster dose as we head into the fall and winter. As BA.4 and BA.5 are the prevalent strains in Alberta at this time, we are pleased to offer this additional option,” said Jason Copping, minister of health, in a news release.

Starting Oct. 24, appointments will be available through the Alberta Vaccine Booking System at bookvaccine.alberta.ca, through participating pharmacies or by calling Health Link at 811.

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If your local pharmacy is not listed in the booking system, you’re asked to contact them directly or visit bluecross.ca to find a pharmacy near you.

Individuals five years of age and older can get their influenza vaccine and COVID-19 vaccine, including boosters, at the same time. In most cases, separate appointments are not needed, say provincial officials.

It is recommended that children six months to four years of age wait 14 days between receiving their COVID-19 vaccine and influenza vaccine or routine childhood vaccines.

Individuals with questions about whether they should receive a COVID-19 vaccine booster based on their personal medical history, age or other risk factors are encouraged to discuss them with their family physician.