Canadian health officials on Tuesday authorized Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine targeting the Omicron subvariant, urging all Canadians over the age of six months to get fresh inoculations as the nation sees an uptick in infections. Health Canada said in a statement that it has determined that the Moderna SPIKEVAX COVID-19 vaccine targeting the Omicron XBB.1.5 vaccine meets the department’s stringent safety, efficacy and quality requirements. "We are absolutely encouraging people to get protected both with COVID-19 vaccine and the flu shot," Canada's Chief Public Health Officer Theresa Tam said during a news conference after the announcement, adding that Canadians can expect to start receiving the new shots in the beginning of October.