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Federal health officials are preparing Canadians for another round of COVID-19 vaccines that are expected to be released in the fall and are asking those behind their reinforcements to catch up now.
Canadian Director of Public Health Theresa Tam says circulating Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants are even more transmissible and can evade immunity than previous versions, leading to an increase in cases in coming weeks.
She and the Minister of Health, Jean-Yves Duclos, emphasize the importance of the updated vaccination status, noting that 40% of Canadians have not yet received any reinforcement after their two main injections, which puts us at a disadvantage. behind other G7 countries when it comes to three. dose.
Tam also warns of a possible resurgence of COVID-19 in the fall and winter, and says new guidelines on a fall reinforcement program should help reduce severe outcomes and alleviate potential stress in the fall. health system.
In a statement Wednesday, the National Immunization Advisory Committee advised jurisdictions to prepare to offer another round of vaccinations to people most at risk for serious COVID-19 disease, regardless of the number of booster doses. that they have already received.
This includes people 65 years of age or older, residents of long-term or residential care facilities, and those 12 years of age or older with an underlying medical condition that puts them at high risk for severe COVID-19.
Ontario Prime Minister Doug Ford said Thursday morning that a plan is being worked out in Canada’s most populous province, but gave no details.
“You’ll hear more about our launch in the near future,” Ford said.
The NACI recommendation also prioritizes adults from indigenous, racialized, and marginalized communities, as well as migrant workers and those in shelters, correctional facilities, and group residences.
The NACI also recommends that reinforcements be offered to all other people between the ages of 12 and 64, regardless of the number of booster doses they have previously received.
Matthew Tunis, NACI’s executive secretary, said Thursday that there is still uncertainty about when people should receive their fall reinforcement and what exactly the wording will be.
Tam noted that new Omicron-adapted vaccines are under development, but have not yet been evaluated by the Canadian drug regulator. He said officials are still waiting for data on what new protection the so-called bivalent vaccines could offer.
Meanwhile, he said there is no reason for Canadians to hesitate to update their photos.
“As cases increase, such as BA.4 by BA.5, as indicated in some areas of Canada, getting this reinforcement, if you haven’t had it, would now be quite important, especially in the fall,” he said. Tam.
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