B.C. to offer COVID booster for 12-plus this fall

VANCOUVER - COVID-19 booster shots will be available to British Columbians aged 12 and over starting this fall.

This fall, everyone 12+ will be invited to get their second booster – for many that’s a fourth dose. Getting boosted in the fall helps to protect you and your loved ones heading into cold and flu season, when the risk of getting COVID-19 is likely highest. https://t.co/jvZFrRaS9O pic.twitter.com/tg9iNMxtvc

— BC Government News (@BCGovNews) July 8, 2022

Dr. Penny Ballem, the lead on B.C.'s COVID-19 immunization plan, said Friday that invitations will start going out Monday for those most vulnerable aged 65 and older.

Join Adrian Dix, Minister of Health, Dr. Martin Lavoie, BC's acting provincial health officer, and Dr. Penny Ballem, executive lead of BC's COVID-19 immunization plan, for an update on the fall vaccination program. https://t.co/Ria8PDXY0f

— BC Government News (@BCGovNews) July 8, 2022

The advantage of getting the shot this fall is that new Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are expected to be more tailor-made to fight Omicron variants, she said.

Almost 94 per cent of B.C. residents have had their first shot, 91.2 per cent have had a second, but just 59.5 have had their booster.

She said 1.3 million people in B.C. have yet to receive their first booster and they should get that right away.

For those who have had their third shot, Ballem said the risk will be highest in the fall when COVID-19 will be circulating with other respiratory illnesses.

"Fall is the best time to get your next shot."

However, Ballem said people who feel they need their second booster now can contact health authorities and they will get their shot.

Up until now, B.C. has been offering second booster shots for people 70 years and older and Indigenous people 55 years and older.

Ballem said officials also hope to get approval by the end of July to give children aged six months to four years their vaccinations, but that still needs regulatory approval.

Acting provincial health officer Dr. Martin Lavoie said the latest wave of the Omicron variant BA.5 is increasing hospitalizations.

Lavoie said vaccine makers have learned a lot about adapting to variants and the developments are promising.

“What’s important to know now is that manufacturers have developed vaccines that will be better adapted to Omicron, which is great news,” he said.

“As the virus goes further away from the vaccine that we have now, we need to have a vaccine that is closely related to what circulates to be more effective.”

The B.C. Centre for Disease Control's most recent update reports 765 COVID-19 cases for the week of June 26 to July 2, up from 620 the previous week.

It also says there were 172 COVID-19 hospital admissions for the week of June 26 to July 2, while there were 209 admissions for the week prior.

The BCCDC says there were 24 COVID-19-related deaths this past week compared to 33 deaths from June 19 to 25.