Public Health in New Brunswick says there are no immediate plans to open eligibility criteria for the fourth dose of the COVID-19 vaccine amid news that cases and hospitalizations are on the rise.
Dr. Jennifer Russell, the province’s medical director of health, told Global News in an interview on Tuesday that the province would stay the course on its vaccine rollout.
“I don’t see any policy change happening right away,” he said. “We will continue to monitor the situation, as we always do, and if there are any changes we will make announcements about it.”
Russell said there are still discussions with provincial and territorial medical directors of health about the criteria for the fourth dose in their routine weekly discussion, but changes are unlikely.
That worries epidemiologist Susanne Gulliver.
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“We have noticed that immunity appears to be waning over time and significantly faster than we have seen with other vaccination regimens,” he said, comparing the COVID-19 vaccine to the longevity of measles vaccines and vaccines. mumps, and HPV.
He said those viruses also don’t mutate like COVID-19 does. Gulliver said that each new infection can mean a mutation of the virus, especially in countries with limited access to vaccines to begin with.
“There have been a lot of calls in the last week saying we need to resume indoor masking,” he said. “Because as great as it is to put the measure back in place, once another wave hits us, it doesn’t stop.”
Vaccination, he explains, remains the best defense against the virus along with simple protective measures like wearing face masks.
“Without these really important and simple public health measures, everyone has been predicting that we are going to see a nasty wave in the fall,” Gulliver said.
In Ontario, the calls to Public Health have been renewed to open eligibility as well.
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But Gulliver said much of the hesitation may be due to timing, fearing that in another six months, people will need another booster dose.
“I mean, I think as it stands right now, we’re always going to be every 22 weeks, possibly, until we get this under control,” Gulliver said. “We need to have the multi-pronged approach of vaccination, isolation when sick, and…masking to be able to bring this down to a manageable level.”
She said people can’t let their guard down, even when the summer months heat up.
“There is an idea of seasonality with COVID that is just not the case,” he said. “Warmer weather doesn’t magically make it go away.”
Gulliver said it’s disappointing to see the seriousness of COVID-19 being ignored at events that take place outdoors but carry the same risk without proper social distancing.
For her, the key is to continue wearing a mask, maintain physical distance and, when eligible, get vaccinated.
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