Use of the B.C. Vaccine Passport program will end Friday, April 8 as scheduled, while the province prepared to offer fourth doses to seniors and those vulnerable to infection. (File Photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

COVID-19 RESPONSE

Fourth doses coming, vaccine passport going as B.C. further adjusts pandemic response

Apr 5, 2022 | 1:02 PM

NANAIMO — A second round of booster shots is underway for vulnerable populations as the province prepared to drop a major facet in its COVID-19 response.

Following in line with recommendations from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization and other provinces, B.C. public health have begun offering and administering a second round of booster shots, or a fourth dose, of an approved COVID-19 vaccine.

The program will initially focus on seniors aged 70 and up, Indigenous elders aged 55 and up, as well as anybody deemed clinically extremely vulnerable, and therefore less receptive of vaccine immunity.

“The two most important factors we know…are age and vaccination status and only one of these we can control,” Dr. Bonnie Henry, provincial health officer, said during her briefing on Tuesday, April 5. “We have no control over our age but we can control our vaccination status and reduce our risk. It reduces not only our risk as an individual, but it helps reduce or risk of being infected and transmitting it to others.”

She added a widespread adoption of vaccination and immunization has ripple effects through the community against current and future strains of the virus.

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The move is a bid to keep hospitalizations and deaths low.

Cases identified by public health between Jan. 7 and March 20 showed hospitalization, critical care and death rates were substantially greater among people with no vaccination history, compared to those with two doses.

People who received a third dose, around 56 per cent of the total B.C. population, showed even fewer cases involving serious outcomes.

“We know the older we are, the sooner the antibodies will wane and the less strong our…memory cell responses will be,” Henry added. “An extra booster dose now will provide a rapid increase in antibodies…and will provide that spring protection as we’re able to get back to more activities in the community.”

Rates of severe illness among those confirmed with COVID-19 are far less for people with two or three doses, versus no vaccination history. (BC Government)

The province has also confirmed it will continue with its plan to remove mandatory use of the B.C. Vaccine Passport program, effective Friday, April 8.

The passport limited access to most non-essential indoor businesses and events for people without full vaccination against COVID-19.

Some businesses, according to the province, have indicated they plan to continue use of the passport program in certain settings.

Public health is also moving towards a weekly reporting of data, beginning Thursday, April 7.

A largely automated system will tabulate cases reported to various health authorities, along with deaths.

The reporting of deaths will adjust to initially include all deaths within 30 days of a positive COVID-19 test, before being filtered over the following days and weeks and removing counts where COVID was not a factor in the fatality.

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