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
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Police inaction allowed Texas massacre to continue with catastrophic consequences: experts
The decision by police to wait before confronting the gunman at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde was a failure with catastrophic consequences, experts say. When it was all over 19 students and two teachers were dead.

Indigenous B.C. filmmaker says he was refused entry on Cannes red carpet for his moccasins
A Dene filmmaker based in Vancouver says he was "disappointed" and "close to tears" when security at the Cannes Film Festival blocked him from walking the red carpet while dressed in a pair of moccasins.
'Absurd' to criticize feds for possible challenge of provincial laws, says Lametti
Justice Minister David Lametti is defending the federal government's authority to challenge provincial laws that they believe infringe on the rights of Canadians, after Quebec said Ottawa's reaction to Bills 21 and 96 lacked 'respect.'
Plane with 22 people on board missing in Nepal's mountains
A small airplane with 22 people on board flying on a popular tourist route was missing in Nepal's mountains on Sunday, an official said.
'What happened to Chelsea?' Vancouver march demands answers in Indigenous woman's death
Around a hundred people gathered at noon Saturday at the empty Vancouver home where Chelsea Poorman’s remains were found late last month to show their support for her family's call for answers and justice.
Canada to play for gold at men's hockey worlds after victory over Czechia
Canada and Finland won semifinal games Saturday to set up a third straight gold-medal showdown between the teams at the IIHF world hockey championship.
Tear gas fired at Liverpool fans in Champions League final policing chaos
Riot police fired tear gas and pepper spray at Liverpool supporters forced to endure lengthy waits to get into the Champions League final amid logistical chaos and an attempt by UEFA and French authorities to blame overcrowding at turnstiles on people trying to access the stadium with fake tickets on Saturday.
48K without power one week after deadly storm swept through Ontario, Quebec
One week after a severe wind and thunderstorm swept through Ontario and Quebec, just over 48,000 homes in the two provinces were still without power on Saturday.
Explainer: Where do hydro poles come from?
The devastating storm in southern Ontario and Quebec last weekend damaged thousands of hydro poles across the two provinces. CTVNews.ca gives a rundown of where utility companies get their hydro poles from, as well as the climate challenges in the grid infrastructure.