Flu shots, COVID-19 boosters crucial ahead of 'difficult' fall: Health Minister
During the federal Health Minister's visit to Quebec to sign a flu vaccine deal, a similar topic -- COVID-19 vaccines -- inevitably came up.
Minister Jean-Yves Duclos' message to Canadians was clear: booster shots are crucial.
"We have more work to do," Duclos said Friday at the Quebec City GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) pharmaceutical plant.
He noted that while Canada has the highest rate of people with two doses of the vaccine among G7 countries, it ranks lowest in terms of booster shots.
In Quebec, about 55 percent of the population have received a third dose, while just 16 per cent have received a fourth, according to the provincial Health Ministry.
By comparison, 91 per of eligible Quebecers have received at least one shot.
The province has officially entered its seventh wave of infections, with case numbers and hospitalizations on the rise. According to public health officials, the Omicron BA.5 subvariant makes up about half of new cases in Quebec.
Duclos said keeping up with booster shots is critical to managing infection rates and preventing the further overwhelming of an already-burdened health system.
"We know that up-to-date vaccination reduces the risk of infection, transmission, severe disease, hospitalization and long-COVID. In short, vaccination brings protection and saves lives," he said.
While the federal government is not mandating booster doses, it says that if your last dose was more than nine months ago, you are no longer considered adequately vaccinated.
DON'T FORGET THE FLU SHOT: DUCLOS
In preparation for the fall flu season, Duclos was in Quebec Friday to pen a deal with GSK to produce millions of additional influenza vaccines.
The deal promises at least four million annual doses for government flu vaccine programs.
It also ensures the production of 80 million additional doses in the event of an influenza pandemic.
Duclos encouraged Canadians to get both the flu and the COVID-19 shot in preparing for what he said will be a "difficult" fall.
Nima Machouf, an epidemiologist based in Montreal, agrees.
She said opting for both the flu and the COVID-19 shot is the safest approach -- particularly if you're older than 65.
She added that while it's far from ideal to require COVID-19 vaccines every six months, the antibodies simply don't last that long, meaning it's the best option.
"A vaccine that gives us protection for at least four months is better than not being protected for those four months," she told CTV News.
While many are tired of hearing about vaccines, Machouf said, the fact remains: some people will get sick, and could have symptoms that last for months -- a risk that's reduced by up-to-date vaccinations.
With files from CTV's Spencer Van Dyk.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Israeli forces seize Rafah border crossing in Gaza, putting ceasefire talks on knife's edge
Israeli tanks seized control of Gaza’s vital Rafah border crossing on Tuesday as Israel brushed off urgent warnings from close allies and moved into the southern city even as ceasefire negotiations with Hamas remained on a knife’s edge.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
Have you been removed from your family doctor’s patient list for visiting an Ontario walk-in clinic?
Some Ontarians are expressing frustration after they said that they were removed from their family doctor’s patient list for visiting a walk-in clinic in a process being called “de-rostering.”
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Canadian government proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.