Theresa Tam recommends masks and up to date COVID vaccines this fall

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Chief public well being officer Dr. Theresa Tam says it’s time to start out sporting masks once more.

Senior public well being officers appeared at a press convention on Tuesday sporting masks and urged Canadians to get an up to date COVID-19 vaccine this fall after the primary shot focusing on the newest variants was approved to be used. In addition they gave the impression to be socially distanced.

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When requested why she was sporting a masks, Tam mentioned it was because of the current enhance in circumstances and hospitalizations, and she or he added that a few of her work colleagues had just lately been recognized with COVID-19. 

“It’s a layer of safety. We hope folks have developed the behavior to have the ability to use masks as wanted throughout the respiratory virus season, not only for COVID, however for all the opposite respiratory pathogens,” Tam mentioned.

“I do assume now’s the time to get your masks prepared for those who don’t have already got them.”

On Tuesday, Well being Canada’s regulatory department authorised Moderna’s new Spikevax vaccine, which is formulated for the XBB.1.5 lineage of the Omicron variant. Virtually all of the circumstances of COVID-19 in Canada presently are variations of the XBB lineage.

“There may be robust proof displaying that the advantages of this vaccine outweigh the potential dangers,” mentioned chief medical adviser Dr. Supriya Sharma at a information convention in Ottawa.

Moderna mentioned in an announcement the primary doses can be shipped to reach in Canada Sept. 13, with extra arriving over the following month.

Moderna started submitting knowledge on medical trials for the brand new vaccine on the finish of June, and the choice follows an in-depth evaluation of that knowledge, Sharma mentioned.

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Well being Canada’s authorizations define who might get entry to a vaccine. The Nationwide Advisory Committee on Immunization, or NACI, offers steering on who ought to get it.

NACI’s newest recommendation is that adults and youngsters as younger as 5 ought to get one dose of the brand new vaccine this fall if it has been not less than six months since their final dose or their most up-to-date COVID-19 an infection.

Youngsters between six months and 4 years of age ought to get one dose if they’ve been vaccinated for COVID-19 earlier than, however two doses in the event that they haven’t.

The choice comes as there was a small uptick in COVID-19 in Canada, following months of what Tam mentioned have been traditionally low ranges of the virus.

Tam mentioned total, that uptick has been inconsistent and sporadically positioned, however it’s time for folks to top-up their resistance to the virus.

“I believe one of many causes that we expect there’s an elevated uptick proper now’s this decreased immunity over time,” she mentioned.

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Nationally, she mentioned there have been indicators of elevated constructive circumstances and hospitalizations on account of COVID-19. Ranges of the virus have elevated barely in 10 of 43 cities the place wastewater testing is being tracked by Well being Canada.

Omicron, the variant that hit Canada simply earlier than Christmas in 2021 and brought on the biggest unfold throughout the pandemic, continues to be the dominant variant — however there are a number of sub-lineages from it, together with the XBB line. That features XBB.1.5, for which this new vaccine is particularly formulated.

As of Sept. 3, XBB strains accounted for 98 per cent of all circumstances in Canada, with XBB.1.5 particularly accounting for about 9 per cent, whereas the XBB sub-lineage EG.5 is about 35 per cent of circumstances.

Sharma and Tam each mentioned the brand new vaccine exhibits good immune response in opposition to a number of XBB strains. Sharma mentioned whereas the agreed-upon language internationally is to seek advice from this new shot as an “up to date” vaccine, she is okay with additionally calling it a booster.

“It truly does speak about what the extra doses of the vaccine do for the immune system,” she mentioned.

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Well being Canada can be reviewing submissions for XBB.1.5 vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech and Novavax. Sharma mentioned choices on each might be forthcoming.

The U.S. Facilities for Illness Management approved Moderna and the Pfizer/BioNTech XBB.1.5 vaccines Tuesday, recommending it for everybody not less than six months outdated.

Moderna mentioned doses of the vaccine must be within the arms of provinces and territories in Canada in time for his or her fall vaccination campaigns.

The federal authorities is paying for the brand new doses, because it has for the unique vaccines and the second model, up to date for an earlier Omicron pressure in 2022.

Tam mentioned some provinces might select to roll out their COVID-19 and fall flu vaccines on the identical time, and she or he mentioned it’s secure to get them each on the identical time.

Whereas COVID-19 vaccine doses might be coated, flu vaccines might have a value for sufferers relying on the province or territory.

Canadians eagerly lined as much as get the primary two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine in 2021, and greater than 80 per cent obtained these doses. Nonetheless, fewer than six per cent of youngsters underneath the age of 5 have acquired the first vaccination sequence, and solely six per cent of Canadians have acquired any COVID-19 vaccination within the final six months.

With extra reporting from Nationwide Put up

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