VANCOUVER — British Columbia is gearing up for a major COVID-19 booster campaign this fall with the expectation that new vaccines made specifically to fight the Omicron variant will be available.
The boosters for COVID-19 will be available to people in K.C.
Invitations will start going out Monday for the most vulnerable age 65 and older, he said Friday.
The advantage of getting the second booster vaccine this fall is that new Pfizer and Moderna vaccines better tailored to fight the Omicron variants are likely to be available, he said.
New vaccines still require Health Canada approval, but the review process is ongoing, Ballem said.
“It’s all about autumn,” he said at a press conference. “We want you to wait to get your next souvenir in the fall. Fall is the best time to make your next shot. That’s when the risk is greatest.”
Almost 94 percent of the residents of B.C. have had their first shot, 91.2 percent have had a second, but just 59.5 have had their first booster, he said.
Ballem said 1.3 million people in B.C. have not yet received a third vaccination and should do so immediately to ensure better protection against COVID-19.
People who feel they need their second booster now rather than in the fall can contact health authorities and arrangements will be made to get one, he said.
Ballem said officials also hope to get approval by the end of July to give the vaccines to children aged six months to four years, but that also needs regulatory approval.
Deputy provincial health officer Dr. Martin Lavoie said the fall boost campaign aims to offer maximum protection to people from COVID-19.
“Fall, particularly winter, is when we know that respiratory viruses, including COVID-19, are expected to circulate in much higher numbers,” he said. “That’s when a lot of people get sick, and that’s when the risk of getting infected increases.”
He urged people who have not received their first booster dose to do so and encouraged everyone to continue practicing safe habits, such as wearing masks, washing hands, keeping safe distances and staying home if they are sick.
BC follows the latest recommendation from the National Immunization Advisory Committee, which says people aged 65 and over and others at risk of the disease should get a fall booster, while people between 12 and 64 are encouraged to get the shot .
Lavoie said the latest wave of Omicron’s BA.5 variant is increasing hospitalizations.
He said vaccine makers have learned a lot about adapting to variations, and developments are promising.
“What’s important to know now is that manufacturers have developed vaccines that will adapt better to Omicron, which is great news,” Lavoie said.
“As the virus moves further away from the vaccine we have now, we need to have a vaccine that is closely related to the one that’s out there to be more effective,” he said.
Until now, BC offers second booster shots for people 70 and older and Indigenous people 55 and older.
The latest update from the BC Center for Disease Control reports 765 cases of COVID-19 for the week of June 26 to July 2, up from 620 the previous week.
It also says there were 172 COVID-19 hospital admissions for the week of June 26 to July 2, compared to 209 for the previous week.
The center says there were 24 deaths related to COVID-19 last week compared to 33 deaths from June 19 to 25.
Health Minister Adrian Dix said 2.8 million people in B.C. have had their first booster treatment, but urged others to get the shot.
“Get your first booster today. Do it today,” Dix said.
BC has a high vaccine acceptance rate, but the numbers can always be improved, he said.
“As a community we have adapted and adapted and adapted and we will have to continue to adapt,” Dix said.
— By Dirk Meissner in Victoria.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on July 8, 2022.
The Canadian Press
title: “Bc To Offer Covid 19 Booster For 12 Starting This Fall New Vaccines Expected " ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-11” author: “Elizabeth Harper”
VANCOUVER — British Columbia is gearing up for a major COVID-19 booster campaign this fall with the expectation that new vaccines made specifically to fight the Omicron variant will be available.
The boosters for COVID-19 will be available to people in K.C.
Invitations will start going out Monday for the most vulnerable age 65 and older, he said Friday.
The advantage of getting the second booster vaccine this fall is that new Pfizer and Moderna vaccines better tailored to fight the Omicron variants are likely to be available, he said.
New vaccines still require Health Canada approval, but the review process is ongoing, Ballem said.
“It’s all about autumn,” he said at a press conference. “We want you to wait to get your next souvenir in the fall. Fall is the best time to make your next shot. That’s when the risk is greatest.”
Almost 94 percent of the residents of B.C. have had their first shot, 91.2 percent have had a second, but just 59.5 have had their first booster, he said.
Ballem said 1.3 million people in B.C. have not yet received a third vaccination and should do so immediately to ensure better protection against COVID-19.
People who feel they need their second booster now rather than in the fall can contact health authorities and arrangements will be made to get one, he said.
Ballem said officials also hope to get approval by the end of July to give the vaccines to children aged six months to four years, but that also needs regulatory approval.
Deputy provincial health officer Dr. Martin Lavoie said the fall boost campaign aims to offer maximum protection to people from COVID-19.
“Fall, particularly winter, is when we know that respiratory viruses, including COVID-19, are expected to circulate in much higher numbers,” he said. “That’s when a lot of people get sick, and that’s when the risk of getting infected increases.”
He urged people who have not received their first booster dose to do so and encouraged everyone to continue practicing safe habits, such as wearing masks, washing hands, keeping safe distances and staying home if they are sick.
BC follows the latest recommendation from the National Immunization Advisory Committee, which says people aged 65 and over and others at risk of the disease should get a fall booster, while people between 12 and 64 are encouraged to get the shot .
Lavoie said the latest wave of Omicron’s BA.5 variant is increasing hospitalizations.
He said vaccine makers have learned a lot about adapting to variations, and developments are promising.
“What’s important to know now is that manufacturers have developed vaccines that will adapt better to Omicron, which is great news,” Lavoie said.
“As the virus moves further away from the vaccine we have now, we need to have a vaccine that is closely related to the one that’s out there to be more effective,” he said.
Until now, BC offers second booster shots for people 70 and older and Indigenous people 55 and older.
The latest update from the BC Center for Disease Control reports 765 cases of COVID-19 for the week of June 26 to July 2, up from 620 the previous week.
It also says there were 172 COVID-19 hospital admissions for the week of June 26 to July 2, compared to 209 for the previous week.
The center says there were 24 deaths related to COVID-19 last week compared to 33 deaths from June 19 to 25.
Health Minister Adrian Dix said 2.8 million people in B.C. have had their first booster treatment, but urged others to get the shot.
“Get your first booster today. Do it today,” Dix said.
BC has a high vaccine acceptance rate, but the numbers can always be improved, he said.
“As a community we have adapted and adapted and adapted and we will have to continue to adapt,” Dix said.
— By Dirk Meissner in Victoria.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on July 8, 2022.
The Canadian Press
