Canada should start a second dose “as soon as possible”: NACI

The Canadian Vaccine Advisory Board encouraged a second vaccination “as soon as possible” and federal health officials supported a summer reopening plan and relaxation of travel rules on vaccination and ongoing public health measures to boost the population. Movements to shift efforts towards full vaccination gained momentum on Friday.

Health Minister Patty Haidu and Supreme Public Health Officer Teresa Tam have touted the “layer of protection” as the key to getting out of the formidable third wave suggested by the new modeling, with some states planning to reopen. So I called attention.

That attention extends to Ottawa’s review of an expert report recommending that Ottawa abolish the hotel quarantine requirement for air travelers, Tam said the topic was under “lively discussion” and authorities said in the near future. He said he would deal with it.

Canada’s top doctors likewise carefully evaluated Quebec’s decision to lift the curfew and reopen outdoor spaces such as restaurant patios on Friday, making the move “irrational” in the light of local epidemiology. Not. “

However, she warned that resuming in a hurry could lead to a “pocket of resurrection” among unvaccinated people.

“I’ve had some experience in the past and now I want to be more preventative,” said Tam.

The National Advisory Board on Immunity recommended on Friday that Canada should move towards the ultimate goal of fully immunizing the population, as the supply of COVID-19 shots increases.

The Commission said that those at highest risk of death or serious illness should prioritize a second dose after or in parallel with the first dose of others to be vaccinated. ..

“The 16-week interval is the upper limit, and states and territories should aim to start the second dose as quickly as local logistics allows,” NACI Chairman Caroline Quach said in a statement on Friday. Stated.

“The first dose is a very effective starting point from a herd immunity perspective, and we now need to move to a second dose to provide more complete long-term protection.”

Infectious disease expert Dr. Sumon Chakrabarti welcomed NACI’s advice to actively give a second dose, especially to the elderly and others at high risk of severe infections.

But he is B. He added that all Canadians should strive to be fully vaccinated “as soon as possible”, as variants of concern, including 1.617 (the first strain identified in India), could erode national progress. ..

“Pfizer’s three-week interval works very well. The three-month interval may work even better, but for now it doesn’t really matter,” said Mississauga, an Ontario doctor. I did.

“There is some early evidence that B.1.617 may be slightly less effective with a single dose of the vaccine.”

Meanwhile, the new national model suggests that the COVID-19 crisis has improved in the past month.

According to Tam, Canada has entered a third wave with more than 22 million vaccines nationwide.

According to Tam, the average number of cases is now less than half of the peak of the third wave in mid-April, with less than 3,400 cases reported daily over the past seven days.

Although the pace is slow, she added that the number of people experiencing severe or serious illness is also declining, emphasizing the need to maintain many public health measures.

Federal health officials were cautious about whether the government would listen to a panel of experts recommending that Canada withdraw the requirement for air travelers to quarantine in government-approved hotels for three days.

Global vaccination coverage is not very high at this time, according to Tam, and authorities need to consider national illness and immunity levels.

Heidu added that the issue of traveling abroad is “a delicate and controversial issue” and that changes to border measures require discussions with state counterparts.

“No matter what we do at the border, we want to continue to protect Canadians from the risk of virus imports,” said Kaidu.

Procurement Minister Anita Anand said Canada has confirmed another 15 million shipments of COVID-19 vaccine from three suppliers. This meant that all eligible Canadians could receive a second vaccination by the end of summer.

According to Anand, 2.4 million Pfizer-BioNTech doses will arrive weekly over the five weeks of June, with another 9 million in July.

Moderna is expected to receive 500,000 doses in two shipments early next month, with an additional 1.5 million doses scheduled for the week of June 14.

Also on Friday, Ontario became the latest state to expedite a second dosing schedule.

The shortened dosing interval will be offered to people over the age of 80 at the beginning of next week and to people over the age of 70 in mid-June. Residents are then eligible for a faster second dose based on when they received the first shot.

The state also reported 1,273 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday, with an additional 14 deaths associated with the virus. There were 1,023 people in the hospital, of whom 645 were in the intensive care unit and 458 were ventilators.

However, Manitoba health officials say the disruption in the COVID-19 vaccine supply chain means that major milestones have been pushed back.

Johannu Bota, co-leader of the state’s task force for vaccination, said Manitoba has significantly reduced the dose of Modana vaccine than expected and has delayed delivery.

That said, the state is unlikely to meet its goal of providing a first dose to 70% of people over the age of 12 by June 9, but will probably reach that benchmark by the end of next month, Bota said. It was.

The state’s COVID-19 surge continued to strain the healthcare system, with authorities reporting 493 new cases, 312 hospitalizations, and 69 intensive care patients. The other 26 Manitoba were in intensive care units in other states.

Alberta officials have announced that more than 60% of eligible residents have been vaccinated at least once, saying that more health restrictions will be relaxed on June 10 if hospitalization rates continue to decline. Stated. The state reported 512 new cases and 517 were hospitalized.

Quebec embarked on the first phase of its reopening plan on Friday, allowing meals at restaurant patios and backyard gatherings. The 9:30 pm curfew in Quebec, which has been in force in most states since January 9, has also been lifted.

The State Public Health Institute said Quebec could avoid another wave of the new coronavirus if people obeyed health orders.

Quebec reported 419 new cases of COVID-19 and four more virus-related deaths. There were 385 hospitalizations and 91 intensive care units.

Nova Scotia announced a four-step plan to break the lockdown on Friday, and Prime Minister Ian Rankin declared that the state’s COVID-19 wave was “crushed almost at record speed.”

Most changes will begin on Wednesday, making businesses even more open, causing outdoor visits to long-term care facilities and increasing restrictions on outdoor meetings. Face-to-face lessons will also resume on Wednesday at schools outside the Halifax municipality and Sydney.

Nova Scotia reported 40 new COVID-19 cases and 1 death.

IIn BC, there were 317 new cases of COVID-19, far from the highs of more than 1,300 in March, when regulations were tightened.

— Use Melissa Couto Zuber files

This report by Canadian Press was first published on May 28, 2021.

Adina Bresge, Canadian Press