Vaccine Milestones / Statuses – Pandemics in British Columbia

Timeline

See also the WHO’s timeline for the pandemic.

I estimated the approval dates in the section above based on the Pfizer and Moderna timelines or I found an official giving an estimate:

2026-02-27: EU approves Moderna’s combo influenza/COVID-19 vaccine, mCombriax.
2026-02-17: EU approves mNEXSPIKE for people over 12.
2026-01-02: UK approves Kostaive for adults.
2025-12-19: South Korea approves Moderna’s mRESVIA RSV vaccine.
2025-12-18: Australia approves Moderna’s mNexSpike.
2025-12-11: EU approves mNexSpike for people over 12.
2025-10-21: PHAC extends Pfizer’s ABRYSVO RSV approval to vulnerable adults between 18 and 60..
2025-09-29: Canada approves Moderna’s mNexSpike for people over 18. NB: This was a weird approval. There was almost zero publicity around this approval: no press release from Moderna, no announcement from PHAC, no news articles, nothing.
2025-09-23: EU approves Bimervax LP.8.1.
2025-09-01: South Korea approves Moderna’s Spikevax LP.8.1.
2025-08-27: US FDA approves Pfizer Comirnaty and Moderna’s Spikevax and mNexSpike LP.8.1 vax and Novavax’s 2025-2026 vax (which is JN.1 strain) for use in people the FDA defines to be high risk and also ends Emergency Use Authorization for COVID-19 vaccines in children.
2025-08-22: Health Canada approves Moderna’s Spikevax LP.8.1 COVID-19 booster for people over six months old. The press release does not mention mNexSpike, and this page on a Government of Canada web site suggests that it has not been approved.
2025-08-18: Health Canada approves Pfizer/BNT’s LP.8.1 COVID-19 booster for people over six months old.
2025-07-25: Pfizer/BNT’s LP.8.1 COVID-19 booster gets approval from EU’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use. It still needs approval from the European Commission.
2025-07-10: US FDA grants full approval to Moderna’s Spikevax (mRNA-1273) for children aged six months to 11 years who are at risk for COVID-19.
2025-05-31: US FDA approves Moderna m1282.222 (mNexSpike, 10 µg Classic+BA.5) vaccine. The shot is limited to for healthy adults 65 years and older and for individuals aged between 12 years and 64 years with one or more underlying risk factors.
2025-05-23: US FDA requests that this fall’s vax use LP.8.1. On the same day, the FDA Vaccine Advisory Panel recommends using JN.1 lineage.
2025-05-20: High-ranking FDA officials, in an academic journal, announce that they will require any vaccines go through random clinical trial before they can be given to people under 65 without risk factors.
2025-05-17: US FDA gives full approval to Novavax’ Nuvaxovid (i.e. not Emergency Use Authorization). The shot is limited to people 65 and older and people aged 12 to 64 who have at least one medical condition that puts them at higher risk of severe illness if they contract Covid.
2025-02-14: EU approves Arcturus ARCT-154 (trade name: Kostaive) saMRNA vax.
2024-11-08: Canada approves Moderna’s mRESVIA RSV vaccine for people over 60.
2024-10-18: World Health Organization prequalifies HIPRA’s Bimervax.
2024-09-24: Health Canada approves Pfizer’s KP.2 vaccine.
2024-09-19: Health Canada approves Novavax JN.1 vaccine.
2024-09-17: Health Canada approves Moderna KP.2 vaccine.
2024-09-13: Japan approves CSL and Arcturus’ self-amplifying mRNA (sa-mRNA) COVID-19 vaccine, KOSTAIVE, based on JN.1.
2024-09-03 UK MHRA approves Moderna’s JN.1 vaccine.
2024-08-30: USA FDA approves Novavax JN.1 vaccine.
2024-08-22: USA FDA approves Pfizer and Moderna KP.2 vaccines.
2024-05-31: US FDA approves Moderna’s mRNA-1345 (brand name mRESVIA) mRNA RSV vaccine for adults over 60.
2024-02-23: Moderna finishes vax plant in Laval, Quebec.
2024-02-16: Japan approves the first self-amplified RNA vaccine, LUNAR-COV19.
2024-01-24: UK approves Novava XBB 1.5 vaccine.
2024-01-22: World Health Organization approves Emergency Use Authorization for CORBEVAX.
2024 Jun 7: Moderna submits application to USA FDA for a JN.1-based vax.
2024 Jun 20: USA FDA requests that vaccine makers make KP.2-based fall doses.
2024 Jun 14: Novavax submits application to US FDA for JN.1 vaccine.
2024 Jun 10: USA FDA requests that vaccine makers make JN.1-based fall doses.
2023-10-31: EU approves Novavax XBB 1.5 booster.
2023-10-29: World Health Organization approves Novavax XBB 1.5 vaccine.
2023-10-29: Korea approves Novavax XBB 1.5 vaccine.
2023-10-27: Japan approves self-amplifying vax ARCT-154 from Arcturus. This is the first next-generation vaccine approved by a country that the World Health Organization designates as “stringent”.
2023-10-03 US approves Novavax XBB 1.5 booster.
2023-09-28: Canada approves Pfizer’s XBB 1.5 booster.
2023-09-12: Canada approves Moderna’s XBB 1.5 booster.
2023-09-11: US approves Pfizer and Moderna’s XBB 1.5 booster.
2023-08-25: EU approves Pfizer’s Abrysvo RSV vaccine for pregnant woman and people over 60.
2023-08-09 Canada approves GSK’s Arexvy RSV vaccine for adults over 60.
2023-06-21: India approved GEMCOVAC-OM self-amplifying mRNA COVID-19 vax.
2023-06-02 US FDA approves Pfizer’s Abrysvo RSV vaccine for people over 60.
2023-05-26: UK approves SKYCovion/GBP510.
2023-05-03 US FDA approves GSK’s Arexvy RSV vaccine for adults over 60.
2023-01-26: India approves Bharat Biotech’s nasal vaccine.
2023-01-04: Canada approves Pfizer’s ABRYSVO RSV vaccine for pregnant women and people over 60.
2022-12-21: UK approves Sanofi/GSK vaccine.
2022-12-09 Canada authorizes Pfizer’s BA.4/5 bivalent booster for kids 5-11.
2022-12-08 USA authorizes bivalent boosters down to age 6 months.
2022-12-07 China grants Emergency Use Authorization to SinoCellTech SCTV01C, Clover Biopharmaceuticals’ SCB-2019, Wantai BioPharm (nasal spray) and WestVac Biopharm’s Sf9.
2022-12-06 Health Canada approves Novavax as a primary series for 12-17 year-olds.
2022-10-28: India give emergency use authorization iNCOVACC — a nasal vaccine — for both primary and booster.
2022-10-19: US FDA approves Novavax as a booster for adults.
2022-10-17: Canada authorises Novavax booster for over-12s.
2022-10-12: US FDA approves BA.4/5 for 5-11 y/os.
2022-10-09 UK authorizes Novavax and bivalent BA.5 Pfizer as a boosters for adults.
2022-10-03 Health Canada approves Moderna BA.4/5 as an booster for over-18s.
2022-09-12: EU approves Novavax as a booster.
2022-09-09 Health Canada approves Pfizer for kids 6 months to to 5 years.
2022-09-07 Health Canada approves Pfizer BA.5 booster for over-12s.
2022-09-01 USA CDC recommends BA.5 boosters from Pfizer and Moderna.
2022-09-01 Health Canada approves Moderna BA.1 boosters.
2022-09-01 EU approves Novavax as a booster for adults.
2022-08-31: USA FDA approves BA.5-based boosters from Pfizer and Moderna.
2022-08-22: USA approves Emergency Use Authorization for Novavax for 12 to 17 year olds.
2022-08-18: UK approves a BA.1-based Moderna vax.
2022-07-20: US CDC approves Novavax.
2022-07-14: Canada approves Moderna for kids 6 months to 5 years old.
2022-07-05 EU gives Novavax conditional approval for its vax for 12-17 year-olds.
2022-06-29: South Korea approves SK Bioscience/UW’s protein subunit vaccine.
2022-06-28: India approves Gennova’s self-amplifying mRNA vaccine for emergency use.
2022-06-23: USA approves Moderna for 6-17 year olds.
2022-06-17: USA FDA approves Pfizer and Moderna shots for kids 6 months to 5 years old.
2022-06-02: Health Canada approves boosters for 16- and 17-year-olds.
2022-05-23: Pfizer says 3 doses work well for kids under 5.
2022-05-17: US FDA approves Pfizer booster for kids 5-11.
2022-04-14: UK approves Valneva.
2022-04-14: UK approves Moderna for kids 6-11.
2022-03-17: Moderna requests FDA approval for fourth dose for adults.
2022-03-16: Pfizer/BNTech requests FDA approval for fourth dose for elderly.
2022-03-16: Health Canada approves Moderna for children 6-11.
2022-02-25: EU approves Moderna for kids 6-11 y/o.
2022-02-24: Canada approves Medicago.
2022-02-23: Sanofi/GSK finish Phase 3.
2022-02-17: Health Canada approve Novavax for adults.
2022-02-10: Novavax finishes Phase 3 in adolescents.
2022-01-31: US FDA gives full approval to Moderna’s Spikevax.
2022-01-31: Novavax (FINALLY) requests approval from US FDA.
2022-01-25: NACI recommends that Canadian children 5-11 years old should get vaccinated; immunocompromised kids should get a booster.
2022-01-19: Novavax granted provisional approval in Australia.
2022-01-12: Novavax approved in South Korea.
2022-01-05: US CDC approves (and recommends) Pfizer booster for teens.
2021-12-27: India gives EUA to Corbevax and Covovax (SII’s Novavax).
2021-12-20: EU gives conditional use approval to Novavax.
2021-12-17: World Health Organization approves Covovax, the version of Novavax made by Serum Institute of India (which means that COVAX can start distributing it).
2021-12-17: Pfizer’s vaccine for 2 to 5 year-olds didn’t provide adequate protection with two doses.
2021-12-10: US FDA approves Pfizer booster for 16 and 17 year-olds.
2021-12-07 Medicago announces Ph3 results.
2021-10-30: The Vietnamese gave up on the NDV-HXP-S trials because they had too much trouble finding volunteers.
2021-10-29: Canada’s NACI recommends mRNA booster for those who did not get mRNA.
2021-10-26: The FDA approves Pfizer’s pediatric vaccine.
2021-10-21: CDC approves Moderna and J&J’s boosters.
2021-10-19: US FDA advisory board endorsed Pfizer or Moderna boosters for all adults.
2021-10-19: Health Canada approves Pfizer’s pediatric vaccine.
2021-10-18: Valneva announces good Ph3 results.
2021-10-18: Philippines grants emergency-use authorization to Novavax.
2021-10-15: Pfizer/BioNTech submit application to Health Canada for pediatric vaccine.
2021-10-12: CureVac says they are abandoning their COVID-19 vaccine approval process and will focus on a second-gen product.
2021-10-11: Novavax issues a preprint with their results. (So maybe they really are done with Phase 3 this time?)
2021-10-09 Health Canada approves the regular (not lower dose) Comirnaty as an adult booster.
2021-10-07 Pfizer requests that the US FDA approve its pediatric vaccination.
2021-10-07 Johnson & Johnson requests that the US FDA approve a booster.
2021-10-06 Moderna asks Health Canada to approve its booster.
2021-10-03 The World Health Organization approves Covaxin.
2021-10-02 The CDC approves Pfizer’s pediatric vaccine.
2021-09-28: Sanofi abandons its COVID-19 vax to focus on flu, COVID boosters.
2021-09-28: Pfizer submits preliminary data for 5-12 year-olds to the US FDA.
2021-09-28: Canada’s NACI recommends third dose mRNA for the elderly.
2021-09-23: US FDA approves booster for Pfizer.
2021-09-23: Novavax (and SII, who will manufacture it) says they are applying for approval from the World Health Organization.
2021-09-22: Clover announces good Ph3 results.
2021-09-21: The Washington University of St. Louis/Bharat Biotech nasal vaccine moves to Ph2/3.
2021-09-20: Pfizer announces that they have finished their trial for 5-12 year-olds.
2021-09-20: NDV-HXP-S, the Thai version of the HexaPro vaccine, finished Phase 1/2 with good results.
2021-09-10: Canada’s NACI recommends third dose mRNA for the immunocompromisedx.
2021-09-01 Moderna asks the US FDA to approve its booster.
2021-08-27: Canada approves Moderna for kids over 12.
2021-07-03 Pfizer announces a Phase 2 trial for a vax adapted for the Beta variant.
2021-06-16: CureVac announces crappy Ph3 results.
2021-06-14: Novavax says that they really are done with Ph3.
2021-06-08 Pfizer announces that it’s about to start trial in children under 12.
2021-05-10: Pfizer approved in the US for 12-15 year-olds.
2021-05-05 Pfizer approved in Canada for 12-15 year-olds.
2021-04-09 Pfizer submits application to US FDA for 12-15 year-olds
2021-03-16: Moderna doses the first children in study of under-12s.
2021-03-16: Medicago starts Ph3 trials
2021-03-12: Novavax Ph3 trials in UK, South Africa done
2021-03-11: Sanofi Ph2 trials started
2021-03-05 Janssen approved in Canada
2021-02-27: Janssen EUA approved by FDA in USA.
2021-02-26: Canada approves AstraZeneca
2021-02-04: Janssen submits application to US FDA
2021-01-29: Janssen interim results
2021-01-28: Novavax interim results
2020-12-19: Moderna EUA approved by FDA in USA
2020-12-11: Pfizer EUA approved by FDA in USA
2020-12-09 Pfizer EUA approved in Canada (135 days from start of Ph3, 19 days after US FDA submission)
2020-12-02 Moderna submits application to US FDA
2020-12- 23: Moderna approved in Canada (149 days from start of Ph3, 21 days after the US FDA submission)
2020-12- 19: Moderna EUA approved by FDA in USA
2020-10-30: Novavax starts Phase 3 trials
2020-10-30: Moderna announced prelim results
2020-10-20: Pfizer submits application to US FDA
2020-10-18: Pfizer Phase 3 concluded
2020-10-09 Pfizer announced their 95% prelim result
2020-07-27: Pfizer and Moderna Phase 3 trials started
2020-02-24: Moderna starts Phase 1 trial.
2020-01-11: COVID-19 gene sequence delivered to WHO.

(NB: I include the US’ FDA approval times in part because times are similar to the Canadian approval times.) It took ~4.5 months for Pfizer’s COVID vaccine and 5 months for Moderna from start to finish of the trial. Note that is really fast for a clinical trial, and was possible only because there were so many cases of COVID-19. (The faster people get sick, the faster you can see a difference between the control group and the vaccine group.) Subsequent trials might actually be faster because there is even more transmission.

Hilda Bastain’s Absolutely Maybe blog tracks COVID-19 vaccine development, with very detailed references on clinical trials.

~~See also the New York Times’ vaccine tracker for good information on all the vaccines which have gotten at least to Phase 1 human trials~~. Alas, the NYT vaccine tracker is no longer being maintained. It’s still kind of interesting for historical reasons.