Canadians vulnerable to severe illness because of COVID-19 are being advised to get a further booster dose this spring.
The National Advisory Committee on Immunization, or NACI, says that features adults 80 and up, those living in long-term care homes and other congregate settings for seniors or those with complex medical needs.
It’s also calling on adults 18 and older who’re moderately to severely immunocompromised, either because of medical treatment or an underlying health condition, to get a booster shot.
NACI says adults between 65 and 79 also needs to get vaccinated, especially in the event that they do not need a known history of being infected with the virus that causes COVID-19.
The committee says the Omicron-containing bivalent mRNA-based vaccines are the popular option for booster shots and the really helpful interval is six or more months from the last COVID-19 dose or infection with the virus, whichever is longer.
NACI says it should proceed to watch emerging evidence on the virus, including how long protection from bivalent boosters lasts, to offer further recommendations on the timing of subsequent boosters, in the event that they are warranted.
© 2023 The Canadian Press