People at high risk for severe COVID-19 infection should be offered a booster vaccine this fall, regardless of how many boosters they have received before, the National Immunization Advisory Committee (NACI) said on Wednesday.
This group includes everyone aged 65 and over, according to the updated NACI guidelines.
All others – ages 12 to 64 – “may be offered” additional doses in the fall, the NACI said.
NACI said it would provide recommendations on the type of booster to be given when evidence of multivalent vaccines becomes available – which boosts the body’s defenses against a variety of options, including Omicron and its sub-variants.
“Manufacturers are working on new vaccines against COVID-19, including multivalent vaccines and vaccines specifically targeting VOCs [variants of concern]although their exact characteristics and time of availability in Canada are not yet known, “NACI said.
World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adanom Gebrejesus said in a statement Wednesday that Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 sub-variants have led to an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in 110 countries, “as global cases are increasing. increase by 20 percent. “
Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada’s chief public health officer, also said that these Omicron sub-options appear to be on the rise in that country.
Health officials emphasize that three doses of currently approved vaccines continue to provide good protection against severe COVID-19 disease, hospitalization and death.
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