Ontarians have mixed feelings about the fourth dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
A recently released survey by the Angus Reid Institute found that roughly one in five vaccinated Ontarians said they would not get a second booster.
While 62 percent of respondents said they would get it, another 20 percent remained undecided. Another 18 percent said they had no intention of getting a booster.
In terms of when Ontarians want to see this photo available, 61 per cent said they want it extended to those over 18 “as soon as possible”, while another 20 per cent said “not at all/there is no need to do this .” The remaining 19 percent of respondents said they want to see the fourth vaccine introduced in the fall or winter.
Despite this hesitation about the fourth dose, almost 70 percent of people surveyed by Angus Reid in Ontario said they were willing to get a booster every year “for as long as recommended.” Just under 30 percent say the opposite.
A similar number of Ontarians said they think maintaining vaccines is an effective way to fight serious illness or death, compared to just 18 per cent who disagreed.
Last week, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Kieran Moore, announced that eligibility for all fourth doses will be extended to everyone 18 and over.
People are eligible to receive a second booster shot five months or 140 days after the last shot and if their last infection with COVID-19 was at least three months (84 days) ago.
Moore urged those ages 18 to 59 who have “underlying conditions” such as diabetes or heart disease to get vaccinated.
But he advised anyone else with “stubborn and strong immunity” to hold off for now and wait for the Omicron-specific bivalent vaccines expected to arrive in Canada in the fall.
However, Moore suggested that healthcare workers and people who work in busy and crowded areas should get a fourth dose, even if they don’t have an underlying health condition.
Toronto Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Eileen de Villa strongly encourages all eligible Torontonians to get a fourth COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible, regardless of Moore’s advice.
“Keeping up with your immunizations is the best way to ensure that you, your loved ones and your community are protected from the virus and its variants,” she said, noting that people with the third dose had the lowest rate of hospitalization during of the previous waves.
“While the third dose provides good protection against COVID-19, the fourth dose provides even better protection.”
Ottawa doctor Neely Kaplan-Myrt is also a strong supporter of the fourth shot and was prepared to sue the province if it wasn’t offered to all adults as soon as possible.
“If it gives you a little bit of extra protection, and knowing you’re not going to get your (bivalent) vaccine until November, why wouldn’t we want people to have their boosters instead of waiting until this wave builds,” Kaplan-Myrth told CP24 last week.
“It was ridiculous for us to be told by Ontario that we couldn’t administer the vaccine. (Adults under 60) should be eligible and now they are.”
The Angus Reid study is based on a randomized sample of 1,583 Canadian adults who are members of the Angus Reid Forum. It was held between July 13 and July 15, following Moore’s announcement. A probability sample of this size usually carries a margin of error of plus or minus two percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
-with files from Chris Herhalt
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