‘Especially important’ for seniors to get updated COVID vaccine, doctor says – CTV
August 24, 2025
Infectious disease experts say updated COVID-19 vaccines approved for use in Canada this fall are a crucial tool to protect vulnerable people as the virus continues to circulate.
“It can still be a very serious illness,” said infectious disease specialist Dr. Isaac Bogoch in an interview with CTV News Channel Saturday. “I know many people have forgotten about COVID and put it in the rear-view mirror, but it still can pack a punch, especially for seniors or people who are immunocompromised.”
Health Canada has authorized updated mRNA vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna for people aged six months and older. Both shots target the LP.8.1 variant, a descendant of Omicron that was monitored by the World Health Organization earlier this year.
Moderna says its Canadian doses will be manufactured at a new facility in Laval, Que., with syringes to be filled in Cambridge, Ont.
Bogoch said the updated vaccines are part of a broader shift toward treating COVID-19 like the seasonal flu, with annual vaccines tailored to match dominant strains.
