Quebec to decide 'in coming days' if it will follow advice to give boosters to 50 and up
Canada's national vaccine advisory panel recommended Friday that everyone 50 and up get access to COVID-19 booster shots, but it isn't clear yet if Quebec will follow that recommendation.
On Twitter at 1:45 p.m., the province's health department said the provincial immunization committee will make the final call, and that will take a few days.
"Despite NACI's advice, for the moment in Quebec, the additional dose of the COVID-19 vaccine is only offered to people aged 70 and over," the ministry wrote.
"According to the opinion of the Quebec Immunization Committee, [the ministry] will adjust its vaccination offer. Details to come in the next few days."
NACI, the national advisory panel, went further in its recommendations, also saying that people ages 18 to 49 “may” be offered boosters depending on individual risks and where they live.
Some provinces have already lowered the age cutoff for third shots. Ontario announced earlier this week, before the new NACI guidelines, that it will lower the age limit to 50 in mid-December.
Alberta authorities decided to open boosters to everyone over 18, saying the province's epidemiology requires it.
Booster shots are given six months after the second shot in order to boost immunity.
In a statement to CTV News, Quebec's health ministry said they are following standard procedure by waiting for the provincial expert panel to weigh in, but will be able to act quickly if the limit is lowered.
"The teams are ready to adapt the vaccination campaign to the expansion of the booster doses, if necessary," said spokesperson Marie-Claude Lacasse.
They also wanted to remind "people who have not yet received any vaccine doses... that there is still time to get vaccinated and thus be better protected in the face of the recent upsurge in cases."
Quebec reported 1,355 new cases on Friday, the second surge in a week, as the number of total active infections topped 9,000.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Saskatoon police to search landfill for remains of woman missing since 2020
Saskatoon police say they will begin searching the city’s landfill for the remains of Mackenzie Lee Trottier, who has been missing for more than three years.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.