2023-07-12 20:19:22
The National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) recommends that those who have not been infected with or vaccinated once morest COVID-19 for six months get a new booster dose of the vaccine this fall, a recommendation that falls under meaning, according to Dr. Diane Lamarre.
“The variants that are circulating right now that will be prevalent in the fall are not exactly the same as last year. Variations in the vaccines will add a layer of protection for the most vulnerable people,” said Dr. Lamarre, pharmacist and professor at the University of Montreal.
She explains that the announcement was “predictable” and that it would be necessary to prepare for fall vaccination campaigns, in the same way as the seasonal flu, for at least a few more years.
Messenger RNA vaccine technology allows for faster adjustments to counter new strains.
A recall campaign?
Although the World Health Organization (WHO) no longer considers COVID-19 an “international health emergency” since last March, the virus continues to kill people everywhere, as well as in Quebec. , notes Dr. Lamarre.
As such, the expert believes that some form of “incentive” should be put in place. “I guess that’s exactly why PHAC made the announcement at this time,” she explains.
However, unlike seasonal influenza, whose intensive phases are more predictable, the cycles of COVID-19 seem more random and are less understood at this stage.
For the NACI, the fact remains that fall vaccination is “particularly important for people at increased risk of COVID-19 infection or severe disease” and for “people who have never been infected before and who are protected only by vaccination”.
Even if people who have already been infected with COVID-19 and/or already vaccinated remain better protected, the recommendation still applies to the entire adult population who wants better protection.
The panel made another “discretionary” recommendation aimed at vaccinating children aged six months to five years who are still unvaccinated. These should receive a primary series (two doses) to messenger RNA, according to NACI.
NACI “Strong Recommendation” for the following categories
Adults aged 65 and over Residents of long-term care facilities and CHSLDs Immunosuppressed people Aboriginal people, “pregnant people” “Members of the communities [racisées] and other communities deserving equity” People providing an essential service
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