'Waning immunity' a factor in N.W.T.'s COVID-19 outbreak, says top doc

One of the first jurisdictions in Canada to administer COVID-19 vaccines is also the first to see their effectiveness wearing off. 

While the majority of the Northwest Territories's COVID-19 cases that have severe outcomes, like hospitalizations and ICU admissions, are still in the non-fully vaccinated population, more cases are showing up due to "waning immunity," said Dr. Kami Kandola, the territory's chief public health officer, speaking to CBC's Heather Hiscox, host of Morning Live.

N.W.T. began vaccinating elders starting on Dec. 31, 2020. By March 6, half of all adults had been vaccinated. The following week, vaccinations were opened to the general public in the capital, the last community to be offered the shots (because it's the closest to health resources). 

That early administration of vaccines has helped keep the number of its eligible population aged 12 years and up who are fully vaccinated to outpace the national average, at 89.3 per cent, according to CBC's vaccination tracker, compared to 81.6 per cent Canada-wide.

As a whole, 75 per cent of the territory's total population has been vaccinated, compared to 71.3 per cent in Canada as a whole.

Kandola said the territory, which is experiencing a delta-driven fourth wave, could be a beacon of what's to come in other regions. 

"When you look at Israel, when you look at the U.K. when you look at the U.S., you have to factor in, unfortunately, waning immunity six to eight months after people who received the second dose," Kandola said. "Be prepared."