Close X
Sunday, November 24, 2024
ADVT 
National

Long-term care residents need boosters: NACI

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 28 Sep, 2021 03:32 PM
  • Long-term care residents need boosters: NACI

OTTAWA - The National Advisory Committee on Immunization is urging long-term care homes to give boosters to residents immediately, as the Delta variant breaks out in facilities across the country.

The new guidance was released Tuesday after the committee reviewed evidence about waning immunity from the vaccines, the latest safety data and the spread of COVID-19 across the country.

The committee recommends long-term care residents and people living in seniors' homes receive another shot of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine — like Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna — as long as it has been six months since their last shot.

A booster dose of a viral vector vaccine like Oxford-AstraZeneca is only recommended when Pfizer or Moderna vaccines are unavailable or the person can't have an mRNA vaccine for medical reasons.

"At this time, boosters are not necessary for most of the population, but we want to be sure to address early signs of waning among seniors residing in these settings where shared and close living spaces increase the risk of exposure," chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam wrote in a statement.

NACI says there are signs that vaccine protection might not last as long for seniors in congregate settings like long-term care as it does for other populations in Canada.

Canadian studies have suggested that even though people in long-term care had a good initial antibody response to two doses of vaccine, the majority of residents did not have a detectable level of antibodies against the Delta variant six months later.

"While the vaccines initially worked very well to protect this group, we are starting to see signs of outbreaks again in long-term care settings and we are looking to prevent the level of severe outcomes this population experienced early in the pandemic," NACI chair Dr. Shelley Deeks wrote in a statement.

Right now, 260 long-term care and retirement homes are battling active outbreaks of COVID-19 in Canada, according to a tracker developed by the National Institute on Aging.

That's up from just 201 long-term care outbreaks last week.

Half of those outbreaks are happening in Alberta, which is dealing with a spiralling health crisis during the latest wave of the pandemic.

Long-term care has borne the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada, where aging residents and congregate living proved to be a tragic combination.

About 69 per cent of Canada's total pandemic-related deaths happened in long-term care homes as of February 2021, according to the Canadian Institute for Health Information.

The new advice comes weeks after provinces like Ontario announced they would extend third-dose eligibility to long-term care residents.

Saskatchewan, Alberta, and most recently, Quebec are also offering boosters to residents in care homes, while Manitoba has extended third doses to long-term care residents in First Nations.

NACI has previously recommended boosters for people who are moderately to severely immunocompromised, as evidence shows some immunocompromised people have a lower immune response to COVID-19 vaccines compared to others.

 

MORE National ARTICLES

Cooler weather offers B.C. wildfire reprieve

Cooler weather offers B.C. wildfire reprieve
The B.C. Wildfire Service lists the current wildfire danger as low across most of the Kamloops Fire Centre, where at least six major fires have destroyed homes in several communities.

Cooler weather offers B.C. wildfire reprieve

Fatal collision: Highway 1 at Grandview HOV exit, Burnaby closes 2 Westbound lanes

Fatal collision: Highway 1 at Grandview HOV exit, Burnaby closes 2 Westbound lanes
Two westbound lanes are currently closed and motorists can expect delays while police investigate. Motorists can monitor DriveBC.ca with respect to the delay.    

Fatal collision: Highway 1 at Grandview HOV exit, Burnaby closes 2 Westbound lanes

Police seeking witnesses in Whalley assault which has left one person with injuries

Police seeking witnesses in Whalley assault which has left one person with injuries
The victim was taken to hospital with serious non-life threatening injuries. Police believe the assault occurred in the area of the 10600-block on 135A Street.    

Police seeking witnesses in Whalley assault which has left one person with injuries

Speaker cites Afghan detainee matter in court case

Speaker cites Afghan detainee matter in court case
The Liberal government asked the court in June to affirm a prohibition on disclosure of records concerning dismissal of the scientists from Canada’s highest-security laboratory.

Speaker cites Afghan detainee matter in court case

501 COVID19 cases for Tuesday

501 COVID19 cases for Tuesday
The number of active infections is up to nearly 5,300, with about 58 per cent located in the Interior Health region. There are 111 people in hospital, an increase of seven since Monday, including 51 in intensive care.

501 COVID19 cases for Tuesday

Slow down - Surrey Traffic Services issue 41 tickets in two hours: Surrey RCMP

Slow down - Surrey Traffic Services issue 41 tickets in two hours: Surrey RCMP
Police were in the area for two hours and in that short time issued 41 violation tickets and one impaired driver was taken off the streets through a 90-day Immediate Roadside Prohibition and a 30-day vehicle impound.

Slow down - Surrey Traffic Services issue 41 tickets in two hours: Surrey RCMP