BC in the midst of the third wave of Omicron with the peak in August, says an expert | Globalnews.ca

BC is in the midst of a third wave of Omicron, which is expected to rise rapidly in the coming weeks, says a COVID-19 modeling expert.

Dr. Sally Otto, an evolutionary biologist and professor at the University of British Columbia, told the Ohio Evolution Conference last week that the BA.5 variant is circulating in more communities once again and predicts that the third wave will reach its peak. Maximum point. sometime next month.

Health Minister Adrian Dix said BC is planning for the fall, but did not release any further details on Monday.

“We’re planning what we’re going to face in the fall, but we don’t know what we’re going to face in the fall,” he said. “Therefore, no option is ever excluded.”

“Right now, overall, we see the level of COVID hospitalizations going down, but we also see other places in the world with real challenges. So what we’re going to continue to do in BC is follow public health guidance on these matters, follow guidance from our provincial health office and our public health teams, follow that guidance, and continue to take the necessary actions.”

The National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) recommends booster shots this fall ahead of a possible future wave of COVID-19 in Canada.

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Dr. Brian Conway, medical director of the Center for Infectious Diseases in Vancouver, said there has been some discussion about Canada following the trend of Western Europe with a rise in cases and more evidence of COVID in sewage.

“I think there’s going to be a little bit of a spike if we’re not careful,” he said.

“Get vaccinated, wash your hands, wear a mask, stay home if you are sick. These things are not difficult.”

Conway said everyone should get their third shot now, if they haven’t already, so they’ll be ready for their fourth shot in the fall.

Dix said he thinks the key issue everyone should recognize is that the COVID-19 pandemic is still here.

He said cases in the province are not increasing to a “dramatic level” but the pressure it is putting on the health care system is “significant.”

While eight million British Columbians have received a third dose of the vaccine, Dix said 1.4 million people are eligible for their third dose right now in the province and have not yet received it.

“Everyone should be planning on getting another dose in the fall, everyone,” Dix added.