Many health experts say they are increasingly concerned about the slow intake of the first booster vaccines across the country, warning that two doses of COVID-19 vaccine do not offer adequate protection against the Omicron variant and that many Canadians may be at risk. their. result. Only 47 percent of the population, or 57 percent of those 18 and older, have received the booster vaccine so far, according to the Public Health Service of Canada. This is a growing concern, experts say, because growing evidence suggests that three mRNA vaccinations for COVID-19 are needed to provide adequate protection against the Omicron variant. “This is a three-dose vaccine,” said Katharine Smart, president of the Canadian Medical Association. “We have not reached everyone above this finish line. “For some people, that means dying.” Dr Smart said governments and health services had not done a good enough job, stressing the importance of the first boost shots, and that standing next to a step repeating the same message was “doing nothing” and even irritating some. . “In the noise, we lost people,” he said. This week, Health Canada reported that nearly 1.5 million vaccines for COVID-19 had expired since January, indicating that absorption of both the primary series and the boosters had dropped significantly. Complicating matters is the fact that the National Advisory Committee on Immunization last week urged jurisdictions to focus on the “rapid development” of second commemorative shots at high-risk individuals, including the elderly in the community and all long-term care residents. While second-aid boosters are important for protecting these vulnerable people, some experts say they are increasingly concerned about the consequences if so many do not receive their first booster. “These are three shots to protect against Omicron,” said Brian Conway, president and medical director of the Vancouver Center for Infectious Diseases. “If we are going to tell people that they need a fourth shot, people who have not received a third shot will be even further behind.” The issue of booster doses is crucial because the most dominant variant of Omicron is able to avoid part of the protective action offered by two doses of currently available mRNA vaccines, especially in more vulnerable individuals. While the third and fourth doses, or booster doses, do not always prevent people from becoming infected, they do very well in preventing hospitalization and death. For example, a U.S. study published in the British Medical Journal in March found that two doses of an mRNA vaccine were only 65 percent effective in preventing Omicron-related illnesses in people 18 years of age and older. For those who received three doses, the effectiveness of the prevention of hospitalization increased to 86%. In light of the new rise in COVID-19 cases in Canada this week, NACI has strengthened its recommendation for first shotguns, saying that adults 18 years of age and older should be given an extra mRNA vaccine at least six months after completion of their last dose. (Vaccination recommendations vary with age, health status, and previous vaccinations and COVID-19 infection. For many healthy adults, a first booster dose would be a third dose of an mRNA vaccine.) However, some say that in order to entice more people, the formal communication about the importance of amplifiers must change. “I think we really deserve to be serious,” said Dr. Smart. “Where do we go from here with our health communication?” Dr. Conway said some people may feel tired or frustrated as advice on vaccine schedules seems to change constantly. But the The SARS-CoV-2 virus is changing, and as the scientific understanding of vaccine protection evolves, so should public health guidance, he said. The best available data suggest that three and, in some individuals, four doses of mRNA offer the best protection. A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine last week found that people 60 years of age and older who took a second booster dose were less likely to have severe COVID-19 effects than those who took a single booster dose. Because the Omicron variant is still so new, it is not clear how long protection against serious effects will last. But most health experts agree that it is possible for people to be given boosters on a regular basis, possibly similar to annual flu vaccination campaigns. Many experts also urge the Public Health Agency and other health organizations to stop using the term “fully vaccinated” to refer to those who have received two doses of COVID-19 mRNA vaccine. “I do not think it’s a term that works scientifically or practically,” said Doug Manuel, a senior fellow at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute and a member of the Coronavirus Rapid Response Network. “I think it is misleading. I think it’s wrong. “ When asked if the Public Health Service was going to stop using the term “fully vaccinated”, a spokeswoman sent in an excerpt from a press conference this week in which Canada’s public health chief Theresa Tam said it was an ongoing debate. 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