Public health no longer advising boosters for most Canadian adults

Canada’s vaccine advisory says many Canadians should not inject a Covid-19 booster this spring.

In a Friday statement, the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) recommended spring booster shots exclusively to at-risk groups, including those over the age of 80, and those who are immunocompromised.

“NACI is currently not recommending an additional bivalent booster for the general population,” wrote chief public health officer of Canada, Theresa Tam.

The recommendation excluded Canadians under the age of 65 – so long as the person did not have complex medical needs or live in a long-term care home.

“Age is a very important risk factor for severe disease,” said the statement. “The risk of hospitalization and intensive care […] increases with age.”

Public health recommends booster-shots exclusively to at-risk groups because Covid-19 has stabilized in Canada, Dr. Tam said. She wrote the general population has high levels of antibodies, resulting from vaccination and previous infections.

The report noted applicable Canadians should wait six months before getting boosted if they were infected with Covid-19.