The provincial officials of British Columbia recently announced that the region’s mass population would already get their COVID-19 booster shots of either Spikevax (Moderna) or Comirnaty (Pfizer) by January next year. The said announcement was made by Health Minister Adrian Dix, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry, and the Executive Lead of BC’s immunization roll-out team, Dr. Penny Ballem.
Besides revealing that almost 90% of individuals 12 years old and up across the province have already received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, the officials also disclosed that adults who are considered immunocompromised, including those in assisted living and long-term care, are already being offered with the booster shots.
The officials also stressed that most of the individuals requiring hospital care due to the virus are over 80. However, there are some pockets in the province where minimal breakthrough infections in younger residents have been observed.
Moreover, they pointed out that the rest of the BC population who received their first or second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine are eligible for the booster shot starting January next year.
Depending on their overall risk, a person can book an appointment through the Get Vaccinated system to receive the booster shot within six to eight months of their second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. The administration of the booster doses will prioritize higher-risk groups, such as persons 70 years old and over and indigenous people.
The announcement also disclosed that medical health professionals who work in highly vulnerable settings like assisted living, long-term care, and acute care would also get the booster shots before being offered to the general public.
Notably, the officials emphasized that regardless of the brand of the COVID-19 vaccine BC residents received for their first or second dose, they will still be eligible for the booster shot. In addition, those given the AstraZeneca vaccine can be administered with the booster dose.
BC officials will provide updates on this in their regular COVID-19 reports.
