Canada Rolls Out Updated COVID-19 Vaccines for 2025-26

Canada is launching COVID-19 vaccine campaigns for the 2025-26 season, with provinces and territories rolling out updated vaccines to protect against the virus. The Public Health Agency of Canada recommends all adults 65 and older, and those with underlying medical conditions or living in group settings, receive the COVID-19 shot. The latest vaccines, including LP.8.1, are effective against current circulating strains and can increase antibody levels fourfold. COVID vaccines are free for most Canadians, with exceptions in Alberta and Quebec.

Canada is launching its COVID-19 vaccine campaigns for the 2025-26 season, with provinces and territories rolling out updated vaccines to protect against the virus. The Public Health Agency of Canada recommends that all adults aged 65 and older, as well as those with underlying medical conditions or living in group settings, receive the COVID-19 shot Pfizer, BioNTech’s Comirnaty Shows Strong Immune Response in Phase III Trial for COVID-19^[1]. The latest vaccines, including the LP.8.1-adapted Comirnaty, are effective against current circulating strains and can increase antibody levels fourfold .

The LP.8.1-adapted Comirnaty vaccine, developed by Pfizer and BioNTech, has demonstrated robust immune responses in higher-risk adults within 14 days of vaccination, as shown in a Phase III trial (NCT07069309) . The trial evaluated the safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity of the vaccine in 100 patients aged 65 years and older, as well as adults between the ages of 18 and 64 with at least one underlying risk condition for severe COVID-19. The vaccine elicited at least a fourfold increase in neutralizing antibodies against the LP.8.1 sublineage within 14 days of vaccination .

The safety profile of Comirnaty was reported to be consistent with previous studies, with no new safety signals identified . Common adverse events (AEs) reported include allergic reactions, myocarditis, chest pain, shortness of breath, and injection site reactions . Pfizer has warned that Comirnaty could cause a number of AEs, which include allergic reactions, myocarditis, chest pain, shortness of breath, pounding heart, fainting, persistent fatigue, vomiting, pain in the abdomen, and pale skin .

The vaccine has received extensive regulatory approvals, including FDA approval in August 2021 for patients aged 16 years and older, and emergency use authorization for patients aged six months through 11 years in September 2023 [^3, 4, 5]. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, test positivity for COVID was 10.8% in the United States in the week ending August 30, 2025, with emergency department visits at 1.6% and deaths at 0.6% .

Canada has been proactive in its vaccine distribution, with close to five billion doses of Comirnaty administered worldwide, supported by a well-established record of safety and effectiveness . The vaccine is currently authorized for use in the United States, United Kingdom, European Union, and other countries, alongside emergency use authorizations in additional markets .

COVID vaccines are free for most Canadians, with exceptions in Alberta and Quebec. The Public Health Agency of Canada recommends that all eligible individuals receive the COVID-19 shot to protect against the virus and reduce the risk of severe outcomes Pfizer, BioNTech’s Comirnaty Shows Strong Immune Response in Phase III Trial for COVID-19^[1].