With a fourth wave looming, chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam said Thursday (Aug. 5) that shesa国际传媒檚 remaining focused on getting two vaccine doses into the arms of every eligible Canadian.
sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 a complex discussion but I think right nowsa国际传媒� our focus is getting people their first and second dose for everyone whosa国际传媒檚 eligible,sa国际传媒� Tam said, although she acknowledged that the situation could change as different variants, potentially more vaccine resistant, emerge and cases are on the rise across Canada.
sa国际传媒淲esa国际传媒檝e still got a ways to go and that remains the priority.sa国际传媒�
Tamsa国际传媒檚 words come the day after the World Health Organization called for a moratorium on COVID vaccine booster shots until all countries can get 10 per cent of their population vaccinated.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that although richer countries have administered about 100 vaccine doses per 100 people, poorer nations have only administered about 1.5 doses per 100 people.
Just over 80 per cent of people ages 12 and older have received their first dose in Canada, while second dose immunization rates sit at about 68 per cent.
Tam said that Canadasa国际传媒檚 approach to booster shots would be sa国际传媒渄ata driven,sa国际传媒� and monitor whether current vaccine doses remain effective. Current studies, she said, show at least six months of effectiveness for the COVID vaccines so far.
sa国际传媒淲e will be looking towards the National Advisory Committee on Immunization and an ongoing discussion with chief medical officers of health on boosters shots.sa国际传媒�
However, Tam said that even in provinces like B.C., Alberta and Manitoba, where mask mandates have been lifted, Canadians should do a risk assessment and considering continuing to mask up in crowded indoor spaces, even if they are fully vaccinated.
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sa国际传媒� with files from The Canadian Press
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