THUNDER BAY – The second round of COVID-19 booster shots now available for adults under 60 isn’t strictly recommended for everyone in that group, but will provide crucial protection to older adults and those who are immunocompromised, says Dr. Janet DeMille.
The Thunder Bay District Health Unit began providing the second boosters to adults 18 to 59 on Thursday at its vaccine clinic at the CLE, after the province opened eligibility to that group.
DeMille, Thunder Bay’s medical officer of health, emphasized the shots will provide protection against hospitalization and severe outcomes for those most vulnerable to the disease, who have been eligible for the second booster since April.
“Our recommendation is anybody who is more vulnerable, due to age or being immunocompromised, they’re the people we’re really encouraging to get the second booster dose,” she said.
For generally health adults under 60 who have already had their first booster dose, DeMille described the second booster as less important, though still potentially beneficial.
“If they’ve had three doses of the vaccine, they maintain even right now a good level of protection against severe disease,” she said. “Even without a second booster dose, they’re unlikely to end up in hospital if they’re generally healthy… even if that [first booster] dose was six months ago.”
Those generally health adults under 60 may want to consult their health care provider to decide whether to get a second booster at this time, she said.
The health unit is also actively preparing for a round of booster doses heading into the fall, when infections typically spike as people spend more time indoors.
That round will likely come with a stronger recommendation to get boosted – and could include boosters designed to protect against the now prevalent Omicron variant.
“People should be planning that it will likely be recommended for people to get boosted in the fall, whether that’s September, October, or even into November,” said DeMille.
The Ontario government has stated it anticipates a new bivalent COVID-19 to be approved by Health Canada in the fall, “which may offer more targeted protection against the Omicron variants.”
Current vaccines, designed to combat earlier variants, are still providing strong protection against hospitalization, but not against getting infected with COVID-19 in the first place.
Booster shots increase protection from severe outcomes from COVID to around 90 per cent initially, but that falls to around 70 per cent by five months after a dose, provincial health authorities say. Immunity tends to wane more quickly for older individuals.
“The big thing that the vaccines have done is protect people against severe illness, especially during Omicron,” said DeMille. “Regardless of other immunity that might fade, there’s still persistent protection against hospitalization, ICU admission, and ultimately, passing away as a result of COVID.”
Those who wish to take advantage of both the second booster shots available now and a potential new round of boosters in the fall will be able to do so, said DeMille.
The recommended interval between doses is at least 5 months (140 days), but can be shortened to the minimum interval of 3 months (84 days) with informed consent by the patient.
The booster provides protection as soon as one week after being administered, DeMille said.
She reported “a bit of a surge of interest” in booster shots on Thursday as eligibility opened for tens of thousands of local residents to get their second boosters. The CLE clinic saw a slow trickle of visitors during a daytime visit.
“To be honest, I’m kind of surprised there weren’t more walk-ins, more people here today,” said Dave Pinner, who was at the CLE to get his second booster after becoming eligible Thursday.
“I’m a Type 2 Diabetic, so I wanted to get my second booster as soon as I could. So when it became available today, I just jumped on it.”
He described the process as easy, taking under 15 minutes.
Bill Dupuis also came to get his second booster dose as soon as he could on Thursday, eyeing a seventh wave of infections – and figuring the shot offers a boost to immunity with little downside.
“It seems like we’re getting a COVID [wave] here again, another one, so might as well stay up to date on it,” he said. “Hopefully if I get COVID, it won’t be too bad.”
“It’s available, it’s quite easy – why not?”
As of July 2, an estimated 58.8 per cent of district residents 12 and older had received three doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.
More than 88 per cent of those aged 70 and older have received at least three doses, but that figure drops to 40 per cent for those aged 18 to 29.
The health unit’s CLE vaccine clinic is currently open for appointments and walk-ins during the following hours:
- Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
- Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Residents can walk in or book online using the province’s COVID-19 vaccination portal, by calling 1-833-943-3900, and through participating pharmacies.
