112 cases of monkeypox in Canada, all of them among men: public health officer

TORONTO – The Public Health Agency of Canada says it is not providing Novavax’s COVID-19 vaccine this respiratory virus season, citing low demand.

It says the manufacturer requires a minimum order of its updated protein-based vaccine, called Nuvaxovid, which far exceeds the uptake by Canadians last year.

The agency says a very small portion of the doses ordered in 2023 were used and that its decision reflects efforts to limit vaccine wastage.

It is distributing two mRNA vaccines — made by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna — that are approved for adults and children six months and older.

Both COVID-19 vaccines have been reformulated to target the recently circulating KP.2 subvariant of Omicron.

Novavax’s vaccine, which was approved by Health Canada last month for adults and children 12 years and older, has been touted as an alternative to the mRNA vaccines.

The public health agency says provinces and territories have the option of ordering the vaccine — which has been updated to target the JN.1 subvariant of Omicron — directly from the company.

As of Tuesday afternoon, several provinces – including Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Nova Scotia, P.E.I. and Newfoundland and Labrador – confirmed to The Canadian Press that they aren’t placing orders for Nuvaxovid.

The Public Health Agency of Canada said in an email that its contract with Novavax “only provides access to domestically manufactured vaccines, which Novavax has been unable to confirm for the 2024/25 season.”

The minimum order requirement was based on buying Novavax vaccines that were “internationally produced,” it said.

“Demand for Novavax’s COVID-19 vaccine in Canada has been very low in previous years,” the public health agency said. “In 2023, 125,000 doses of the Novavax XBB.1.5 vaccine were ordered and available in Canada, of which only 5,529 doses were administered.”

In emails to The Canadian Press, Novavax confirmed that it produced its updated vaccine outside of Canada.

It said the company “significantly depends on its supply agreement with Serum Institute of India Pvt. Ltd,” but would not elaborate further.

—With files from Hannah Alberga in Toronto.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 1, 2024.

Canadian Press health coverage receives support through a partnership with the Canadian Medical Association. CP is solely responsible for this content.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

Shopping season for Medicare coverage is about to begin. With it comes the annual onslaught of TV ads and choices to consider.

People eligible for the federal government’s Medicare program will have from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7 to sign up for 2025 Medicare Advantage plans, which are privately run versions of the program. They also can add a prescription drug plan to traditional Medicare coverage.

Many people on Medicare Advantage plans will probably have to find new coverage as major insurers cut costs and pull back from markets. Industry experts also predict some price increases for Medicare prescription drug plans.

Shoppers often have dozens of options during this sign-up period. Here are some things to consider.

Don’t put off shopping for Medicare coverage

Start thinking about next year’s coverage before the annual enrollment window begins. Insurers will usually preview their offerings or let customers know about any big changes. That makes anything arriving in the mail from your insurer important to read.

Insurance agents say many people wait until after Thanksgiving to decide coverage plans for the new year. That could be a mistake this year: The holiday falls on Nov. 28, leaving slightly more than a week to decide before the enrollment window closes.

Look beyond the premium

Many Medicare Advantage plans promote a $0 premium. That may sound attractive, but price is only one variable to consider.

Shoppers should look at whether their doctors are in the plan’s coverage network and how prescriptions would be covered. They also should know the maximum amount under the plan that they’d have to pay if a serious health issue emerges.

Plans offer many supplemental benefits, including help paying food or utility bills. Don’t let those distract from understanding the core coverage, said Danielle Roberts, co-founder of the Fort Worth, Texas, insurance agency Boomer Benefits.

“Remember that we buy health insurance for the big things, not the frills,” she said.

How to get help shopping for plans

The federal government operates a plan finder that lets people compare options. The State Health Insurance Assistance Program can be another resource. Insurance brokers or agents also guide customers through searches.

Sometimes a plan’s coverage doesn’t work as expected. If that happens, there’s another enrollment window in the first three-months of each year where some shoppers may be able to make a change.

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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans can once again order COVID-19 tests, without being charged, sent straight to their homes.

The U.S. government reopened the program on Thursday, allowing any household to order up to four at-home COVID nasal swab kits through the website, covidtests.gov. The tests will begin shipping, via the United States Postal Service, as soon as next week.

The website has been reopened on the heels of a summer COVID-19 virus wave and heading into the fall and winter respiratory virus season, with health officials urging Americans to get an updated COVID-19 booster and their yearly flu shot.

“Before you visit with your family and friends this holiday season, take a quick test and help keep them safe from COVID-19,” U.S. Health and Human Services Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response Dawn O’Connell said in a statement.

U.S. regulators approved an updated COVID-19 vaccine that is designed to combat the recent virus strains and, they hope, forthcoming winter ones, too. Vaccine uptake is waning, however. Most Americans have some immunity from prior infections or vaccinations, but under a quarter of U.S. adults took last fall’s COVID-19 shot.

Using the swab, people can detect current virus strains ahead of the fall and winter respiratory virus season and the holidays. Over-the-counter COVID-19 at-home tests typically cost around $11, as of last year. Insurers are no longer required to cover the cost of the tests.

Before using any existing at-home COVID-19 tests, you should check the expiration date. Many of the tests have been given an extended expiration from the date listed on the box. You can check on the Food and Drug Administration’s website to see if that’s the case for any of your remaining tests at home.

Since COVID-19 first began its spread in 2020, U.S. taxpayers have poured billions of dollars into developing and purchasing COVID-19 tests as well as vaccines. The Biden administration has given out 1.8 billion COVID-19 tests, including half distributed to households by mail. It’s unclear how many tests the government still has on hand.

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