Hamilton opens bivalent COVID booster to all residents ages 5+

Hamilton residents ages 5 and up are now eligible to receive a bivalent booster of the COVID-19 vaccine.

The move comes in alignment with direction from the Ontario government following Health Canada’s approval of Pfizer’s bivalent vaccine for this age group on December 9th.

This is the first bivalent COVID-19 vaccine approved in Canada for those ages 5 and up that is formulated to protect against both the original strain of COVID-19 as well as the Omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5.

Starting December 21, 2022, Hamiltonians five to 11 years of age will be eligible for a bivalent COVID-19 booster dose this respiratory illness season.

Release >> https://t.co/hssMcOv6k1 #HamOnt pic.twitter.com/YJXZCeY3UG

— City of Hamilton (@cityofhamilton) December 16, 2022

Hamiltonians ages 5 and over are eligible to receive this COVID booster as long as they’ve received their primary vaccine series of a first and second dose at very least, have seen six months since their last dose, and have not been infected with COVID-19 in the past three months.

Those looking to receive a booster dose can book an appointment and learn more on the city website, or by checking in with the over 100 local pharmacies that are offering bivalent vaccines.

Public health urges locals to be up to date on their vaccinations as Hamilton faces significant healthcare system pressures due to the simultaneous impacts of COVID-19, influenza, and RSV in the winter season.

Read the full release here.

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• BA.5
• bivalent
• covid vaccine
• COVID-19
• Hamilton
• HamOnt
• Health
• Omicron
• Ontario
• pandemic
• Public Health
• vaccination
• vaccine