OTTAWA — Canadians who are at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19 should receive another booster dose of vaccine this spring.
In an updated guideline, the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) said Friday that these “increased risk” populations include seniors 80 and older, adults who live in long-term care homes and residential facilities for the elderly, as well as those with “complex medical needs”.
NACI also recommends the booster dose for adults 18 years of age and older who are moderately or severely immunocompromised, due to an underlying condition or medical treatment, but also adults 65 to 79 years of age, particularly those who do not believe they have already contracted SARS-CoV-2.
The federal committee also specifies that bivalent mRNA vaccines containing the Omicron subvariant are “preferred booster products”. The NACI-recommended interval is six months or more since the last dose or SARS-CoV-2 infection — whichever is longer.
NACI says it will continue in the coming months to monitor the epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 and emerging evidence, “including the duration of vaccine protection from bivalent booster doses,” to provide recommendations. on the timing of subsequent booster doses, “if warranted”.