The National Vaccination Committee of Canada is expected to issue new recommendations in early April on who should prioritize access to the fourth installments, as COVID-19 cases are on the rise in many parts of Canada. But a leading infectious disease doctor says booster shots can do so much to tackle the current rise, and that policymakers need to reinstate extensive exams, sick pay and other evidence-based measures to manage the situation in the long run. “We have some other tools we can use that do not include lockdowns that can curb this wave,” said Lisa Barrett, an infectious disease physician and researcher at Dalhousie University in Halifax. When will COVID-19 become endemic? The four factors that will shape the future of the virus Although two – and especially three – doses of a COVID-19 mRNA vaccine are extremely effective in preventing serious illness and death in many people infected with the Omicron variant, there are growing concerns that declining immunity could leave some people more vulnerable. higher risk. The question of whether and when high-risk groups or the general population should take fourth doses has become more urgent in recent weeks as the highly contagious BA.2 subtype spreads across the country, at least in part due to poor health. restrictions. Earlier this week, the US Food and Drug Administration approved a second boost for all adults 50 and older. The National Immunization Advisory Board of Canada has not yet issued formal guidelines on fourth installments for most of the population. The commission said in December that immunocompromised moderate to high-risk individuals who need three initial doses of mRNA vaccine to develop an immune response could receive a fourth dose six months after their last shot. NACI recommendations are not binding, but provinces often follow suit when making vaccine policy decisions. On Thursday, Ontario Health Minister Christine Eliot said NACI would issue new guidelines for the second commemorative shots this week. A spokesman for the Public Health Service of Canada said in an e-mail that the recommendations would be made public in early April. Dr Barrett said it made sense to expand access to fourth doses for people at the highest risk of serious outcomes due to COVID-19, such as immunocompromised people and the elderly living in long-term care. But there are other factors to consider when considering making the fourth installment more accessible to all, he said. For example, it may make more sense to expand access to additional enhancers later this year, before what many infectious disease experts expect will be another wave, Dr. Barrett said. Giving wide access to fourth installments now beyond those at highest risk for serious outcomes could jeopardize the effectiveness of the extra shots in the coming months, Dr Barrett said. “We may not be able to strengthen again in the fall so effectively,” he said. Jurisdiction across Canada has eased or lifted restrictions on pandemics, including mask and vaccine orders and capacity limitations, in recent weeks in a bid to return to pre-pandemic levels. However, Dr Barrett and many of her colleagues say these policies are flawed, as lifting health restrictions and eliminating testing and other surveillance strategies makes it more difficult to respond to COVID-19 increases. Instead, governments need to step up testing and surveillance and think of other measures that can help prevent the worst-case scenarios during the spread of COVID-19, Dr Barrett said. “Deliberately rejecting facts and lives is not okay,” he said. The Morning and Afternoon Newsletters are compiled by Globe editors, giving you a brief overview of the day’s most important headlines. Register today.
