According to a new independent report, British Colombians should wear masks again and potentially look for a COVID-19 booster vaccine as soon as possible.
The latest report from BC’s independent COVID-19 modeling group, released Wednesday, says the province is already facing a third wave of Omicron, driven by the highly transmissible BA.5 variant.
Read more: COVID-19 cases in British Columbia hospitals increase by almost 100, admissions increase during second week
“Anyone with health issues should improve if they are eligible and can get one right now,” said Sarah Otto, a mathematical biologist and member of the UBC modeling group.
“Our next wave will not be an autumn wave. It will be a summer wave.”
The story continues under the ad
On Tuesday, the World Health Organization warned that the virus “runs freely and countries do not effectively manage the burden of disease” and that the BA.5 subvariant is spreading to a “very intense level.”
The BC report found that variant BA.5 currently accounts for about 80 percent of all cases circulating in the province.
The latest wave is expected to peak in sometime in August, but Otto said forecasting the case count or hospitalizations will be especially difficult this time around for a number of reasons.
Read more: COVID-19 cases in British Columbia hospitals increase by almost 100, admissions increase during second week
These include questions about the amount of immunity British Colombians still have from reinforcements or infections with other variants, along with unknowns about the virulence and ability of BA.5 to evade immunity.
Trend stories
-
Omicron BA.5 The COVID subvariant extends to “very intense level,” the WHO warns
-
Canadian health care on the brink of disaster, nurses say
“Given the number of people who have had Omicron recently, we’re probably talking about BA.5 (wave) being more similar to our second wave BA.2 in terms of the number of cases,” Otto said.
“My concern is that we will actually have more hospitalizations and deaths because the most vulnerable people, our seniors haven’t been vaccinated in much longer … I just think about 50 percent of our people over 70 years have been driven and that is not enough protection. “
The story continues under the ad
Last Thursday, there were 369 cases of COVID-19 in the hospital, a jump of almost 100 from the previous week. Hospital admissions stopped falling in the province last month and have risen in each of the last two reporting periods.
British Columbia health officials held a briefing on Friday in which they encouraged people to get a fourth vaccine this autumn, but admitted that people could get one earlier if they thought they needed it.
The story continues under the ad
BC officials suggested that vaccines available in the fall would be better formulated to address more recent variants.
Read more: Omicron BA.5 COVID subvariant extends to “very intense level”, warns WHO
Otto said that with the increase in cases and hospitalizations and the evidence on the spread of Omicron BA.5 from eastern Canada offering a window into the future, people should take precautions again now and then. consider a booster if they feel they are at risk.
“We’re going to see a growing demand in hospitals and increase mortality rates over the next month or two, but we also know the drill, we know what works: wear masks, N95 cash, increase ventilation and make the most of your party .outdoors (as you can), “he said.
“Don’t wait for this specific Omicron booster, get a booster now. In the future, your next dose, this will be the specific dose of the variant.”
© 2022 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.