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Federal health officials are preparing Canadians for another round of COVID-19 vaccines expected to be released in the fall, and are urging those behind on their boosters to catch up now.
Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer Theresa Tam says circulating Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 sub-variants are even more portable and can evade immunity than previous versions, leading to a likely increase in cases in the coming weeks .
She and Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos emphasize the importance of current vaccination status, noting that 40 percent of Canadians have not yet received a booster after their primary two vaccines, which puts us behind other G7 countries when it comes to word for three doses.
Tam also warned of a possible resurgence of COVID-19 in the fall and winter, and said new guidelines for a fall booster program should help reduce severe outcomes and ease potential strain on the health system.
In a statement Wednesday, the National Immunization Advisory Committee advised jurisdictions to prepare to offer a new round of vaccines to people at increased risk of severe disease from COVID-19, regardless of the number of booster doses they have already received.
This includes people 65 and older, residents of long-term care or residential facilities, and people 12 and older with an underlying medical condition that puts them at high risk of severe COVID-19.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford said Thursday morning that a plan is in the works in Canada’s most populous province, but did not reveal details.
“You will learn more about our implementation in a moment,” Ford said.
The NACI recommendation also prioritizes adults in Indigenous, racialized, and marginalized communities, as well as migrant workers and those in shelters, correctional facilities, and group homes.
NACI also recommends that boosters be offered to all other individuals aged 12 to 64 years, regardless of the number of booster doses they have previously received.
Matthew Theunis, executive secretary of NACI, said Thursday that there is still uncertainty about when people should receive their fall booster and exactly what the wording will be.
Tam noted that new vaccines tailored for Omicron are in development but have not yet been evaluated by the Canadian drug regulator. She said officials were still waiting for data on what new protection the so-called bivalent vaccines might offer.
In the meantime, she said there’s no reason Canadians should hesitate to update their photos.
“As cases increase, with BA.4 to BA.5 as indicated in some areas of Canada, getting that booster, if you haven’t had it, now would be very important, especially in the fall,” Tam said.
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