B.C. health officials sharing details on possible 2nd booster shots next week

The B.C. government will be addressing plans for providing second booster shots of COVID-19 vaccine to certain populations next week.

Health Minister Adrian Dix said the fourth doses are part of the province's strategy for mitigating the impact of possible sixth wave of COVID-19 cases, as boosted vaccine protection has been credited with reducing hospitalizations and other severe outcomes.

It's unclear who will be eligible for the boosters, but Dix indicated Thursday that people in "clinically vulnerable categories, such as those in long-term care" would be first in line.

"You'll be hearing more about that next Tuesday," the minister said.

Some jurisdictions, including Ontario, are already grappling with another significant surge in COVID-19 cases, driven by the highly transmissible Omicron subvariant BA.2.

The National Advisory Committee on Immunization is expected to release guidance on fourth doses in the coming days, according to a spokesperson for the Public Health Agency of Canada.

"NACI has been asked for advice on the potential use of second booster doses in elderly populations at higher risk of severe disease. PHAC is expected to publish NACI advice on this in early April," Anna Maddison said in an email.

Asked about the possibility of B.C. bringing back stronger COVID-19 restrictions as cases increase, Dix said officials will tailor their response to the latest data.

"What you need to do is respond to the nature of the wave," he said. "The measures taken with respect to the Delta wave are different than the measures taken with respect to the Omicron variant of concern, so we continue to adapt, and that's true of most jurisdictions."

The latest COVID-19 updates from the Ministry of Health show the number of test-positive patients in hospital hovering between 250 and 290. The total decreased steadily for weeks after reaching an all-time high of 1,054 back in January.

Dix said wastewater monitoring has also shown an "overall either flat or slight increase in the amount of COVID-19 present." That monitoring, along with test positivity rates, are among the only means officials have of tracking transmission now that B.C. no longer conducts PCR testing on most people with coronavirus symptoms.

Earlier this month, the province lifted its indoor mask mandate, prompting criticism from B.C.'s human rights commissioner over the potential impact to the people most vulnerable to severe illness.

The government set out a target date of April 8 – at the end of next week – for removing vaccine passport requirements as well, but said that date would be pushed back if needed.

With files from The Canadian Press