No, vaccine boosters won't stop an Omicron surge. They can buy us time, experts say

Despite efforts to increase uptake in many parts of Canada, vaccine boosters won't stop a fifth wave, says the scientific director of Ontario's Science Advisory Table.

But boosters will buy time for provinces not yet facing an Omicron-variant fuelled surge, according to Dr. Peter Jüni.

Speaking to Cross Country Checkup, Jüni said that provinces must instead use the third doses as part of broader efforts — including tighter restrictions on some businesses and personal gatherings — that will help prepare Canadians for the coming months.

"It's not a recipe against the current tidal wave that Ontario is starting to face already, and other provinces will follow," said Jüni.

"We invest with the booster so that when we loosen restrictions again … we start to see protections through the boosters. That's the idea."

Several provinces have already announced measures intended to curb the spread of COVID-19 cases caused by the Omicron variant. B.C., Ontario and Quebec have all clamped down on capacity limits in businesses. Some jurisdictions announced plans to make rapid tests more accessible, though demand has outstripped supply.

But several provinces — including B.C., Alberta and Quebec — have yet to announce plans to expand booster doses to all adults, even as experts call for faster rollout. They say it can take two weeks or more for the boosters to help people develop the needed immunity increase.

"Nothing matters more than getting these third shots into arms," said Ontario Premier Doug Ford at a news conference on Wednesday. Booster shots will be available to everyone over 18 in that province as of Monday, while a handful of other provinces have already lowered eligibility.

Uncertainty around booster shots is causing anxiety for many Canadians as the more-transmissible Omicron variant upends holiday plans. Multiple provinces set single-day records for case counts this week.

Though early data shows promising results for the efficacy of boosters in fighting the Omicron variant, Lawrence Young, a virologist and professor at Britain's Warwick Medical School, says it's too early to know exactly how it will change the course of the next wave.

"It's quite clear, however, that there is something really important about getting booster shots to protect [against] the severe disease and, indeed, protect your health service as well," he said.

The United Kingdom is facing a steep uptick in cases as a result of the Omicron variant, and Young notes that hospitalizations in London are slowly rising.

Dr. Jennifer Russell, chief medical officer of health for New Brunswick, says the province could announce a change to booster eligibility as early as Monday. 

But concerns around logistics and the availability of certain vaccine brands are slowing the rollout.