Health Canada approves Moderna combined COVID-19 and flu vaccine, Digi Mart USA News (Canada): Health Canada has approved Moderna’s combined influenza and COVID-19 vaccine as well as its mRNA shot for seasonal influenza.
Canada’s top health agency said mFLUSIVA, an mRNA flu vaccine, and mCOFLU, a combination influenza and COVID-19 shot, can both now be used for adults 50 years of age and older.
The mRNA flu shot was approved for use in the United States in August, and the combination shot was approved for use in Europe in April. Moderna said Canada is the first country to approve both.
Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel said in a statement that the authorizations mark another important step in bringing the benefits of mRNA technology to seasonal respiratory vaccination. He added that it is not every day a company receives two product approvals on the same day.
It is unclear when the shots will be available to Canadians over 50. Moderna said it will engage with Canadian health authorities and immunization partners as it advances plans for future availability.
A Moderna spokesperson told Global News that the new flu shot and combination vaccine will not be part of the 2026-2027 immunization season.
According to experts cited in the report, mRNA-based vaccines have the potential to be more effective than traditional vaccines. Traditional flu vaccines use microbial protein or dead microbes to build protection against disease.
By contrast, mRNA vaccines give cells a recipe to produce proteins needed to fight the disease, and they are typically considered fast-acting. The report quotes Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s website describing how, after injection, cells in the arm muscles pick up the mRNA, make the protein and display it on the cell’s surface.
The National Advisory Committee on Immunization recommends that everyone six months of age and older get the non-mRNA flu shot available this year. A higher-dose version of the flu vaccine is recommended for adults 65 and older because aging immune systems often need a bigger boost.
The committee also strongly advises COVID-19 vaccination for anyone 65 and older and for residents of long-term care, retirement homes or assisted living.
