Canadians 18+ should be offered COVID booster 6 months after 2nd shot: NACI
Global News
The decision comes after the Canadian government requested NACI to quickly provide the latest directives on booster use in light of the Omicron COVID-19 variant.
Canada’s National Advisory Committee on Immunization “strongly” recommends adults ages 50 years and older should be offered a COVID-19 vaccine booster shot.
Booster shots of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine “may be offered” to adults ages 18 to 49 at least six months after their second dose, according to NACI.
NACI made the recommendations Friday after the Canadian government requested the advisory group to quickly provide the latest directives on booster use as the Omicron variant spreads across the world.
“NACI has reviewed the latest data that suggest protection against infection decreases over time since completion of a primary COVID-19 vaccine series,” the group said Friday. “Protection against severe illness remains generally high, but may decrease over time for some people, such as older adults.”
As part of NACI’s updated guidance, boosters are strongly recommended for people adults living in long-term care homes or other congregate living settings, those fully vaccinated with AstraZeneca or Johnson and Johnson, adults in or from First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities and all frontline healthcare workers having direct in-person contact with patients.
“Offering booster doses will help ensure that protection against severe disease remains high, and may have an impact on spread in the community as well,” Dr. Shelley Deeks, chair of NACI, said in a written statement. “It is important to note that there is no information yet on the impact of the new variant, Omicron, on the effectiveness of the vaccine.”
Deeks added NACI will continue to monitor and provide updated advice as more is learned about Omicron.
So far, third shots have been administered mostly among vulnerable populations in parts of Canada. The discovery of Omicron last week has added increasing pressure to provinces dolling out their own strategies.
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