inspiring canadians to live better.

healthing leaf

inspiring canadians to live better.

healthing leaf
get healthing in your inbox with the morning checkup and weekender newsletter!
home / 世界杯决赛2022

simon fraser scientist says covid booster may not be necessary for all canadians

covid vaccines are doing such a good job here that heal...

by liz braun, toronto sun

nov 18 2021
read time 2 minute read
join the conversation
covid vaccines are doing such a good job here that healthy canadians may not need a booster shot.

that’s the word from dr. mark brockman, a professor at simon fraser and member of covarr-net — the coronavirus variants rapid response network (immunology & vaccine protection pillar).

obviously, a covid booster is necessary for those at high risk. that third shot is required for the elderly or immunocompromised who may not produce as many antibodies after two doses as the rest of the population does. additionally, the number of antibodies in those populations declines much faster.
(vaccinated healthcare workers might also need a booster as their antibody levels decrease, to ensure they do not unwittingly contribute to onward transmission to vulnerable vaccinated patients, such as the elderly and immunocompromised.)
for these groups, a third shot of covid vaccine, “gets them to a level of antibodies that would otherwise be normal in a healthy person receiving two doses,” brockman said.
the professor reiterated that the key message here is that covid vaccines are doing an amazing job in canada.
“the protection provided by two doses is excellent. most healthy adults may not need a third dose,” he said.
powered by
canadian centre for caregiving excellence

advertisement

there will certainly be warning signs if that third dose becomes crucial for all.
“the best evidence that we need to get boosters into the whole population is when clinically, we start to see a lot of fully vaccinated people at the hospital with more severe infection,” he said.
“if that happens, there might need to be third-dose recommendations for younger and healthier parts of the population. when people show less ability to protect themselves, that’s the only evidence that will tell us, irrefutably, that we need a third dose.”
it’s unfortunate that this is the measuring stick, brockman concedes, because it means we have to see an uptick in serious cases.
“right now, those are overwhelmingly among the unvaccinated,” he said.
brockman noted that some people, “will feel better protected if they have that option for a booster. i would not encourage anyone to refuse it, but for the vast majority of healthy people, two doses seem to be working well.”
this may change, of course, and is changing already in older adults and special cases. but the decision-making around getting a booster is a little different for healthy people.
“it’s far more important to get the first two doses. i would encourage anyone who hasn’t had the vaccine to get those two shots.
powered by
obesity matters

advertisement

it’s a bit more open to choice on the third,” he said.
brockman reminded us that huge swaths of the world haven’t had access to any covid vaccines, and talk of booster shots raises issues of global equity.  
“if we give every canadian a third dose right now, we are to some degree contributing to having fewer vaccines available to the global population,” he said.
“we know where the variants are going to rise up — and it’s in unvaccinated or partly vaccinated populations. they are far less likely to rise in canada.”

comments

postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourage all readers to share their views on our articles. comments may take up to an hour for moderation before appearing on the site. we ask you to keep your comments relevant and respectful. we have enabled email notifications—you will now receive an email if you receive a reply to your comment, there is an update to a comment thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. visit our community guidelines for more information and details on how to adjust your email settings.

you may also like
frustrated woman sits in a hospital corridor, the room is light and clean
blood cancer treatment becomes first to benefit from canada's drug agency fast-track program
teen girl holding a selection of pills
raising awareness for prescription drug misuse in teens and adults and the importance of naloxone kits
doctor vaccinating a senior woman. virus protection. covid-2019.
why new rsv vaccine recommendations are essential for seniors and long-term care facilities
overhead flat lay of a doctor's stethoscope with the canadian flag against a blue background.
which provinces and territories spend the most on healthcare in canada?
male doctor explaining young lady results of mammogram, breast cancer awareness
study shows no significant difference in mortality rates among common breast cancer treatments
you may also like
frustrated woman sits in a hospital corridor, the room is light and clean
blood cancer treatment becomes first to benefit from canada's drug agency fast-track program
teen girl holding a selection of pills
raising awareness for prescription drug misuse in teens and adults and the importance of naloxone kits
doctor vaccinating a senior woman. virus protection. covid-2019.
why new rsv vaccine recommendations are essential for seniors and long-term care facilities
overhead flat lay of a doctor's stethoscope with the canadian flag against a blue background.
which provinces and territories spend the most on healthcare in canada?
you may also like
frustrated woman sits in a hospital corridor, the room is light and clean
blood cancer treatment becomes first to benefit from canada's drug agency fast-track program
teen girl holding a selection of pills
raising awareness for prescription drug misuse in teens and adults and the importance of naloxone kits