When should you get a second booster? Alberta doctor weighs in

People in Alberta are now able to get a second COVID-19 booster, but should people get it right away?

The current vaccine that is going around is designed off the current variant of Omicron, according to Dr. Craig Jenne, associate professor in the department of Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases at the University of Calgary.

“If we’re going to wait for one down the road, it’s still not going to be a perfect match to the variants that are in the community,” said Jenne.

“And we don’t yet know whether Health Canada will approve them.”

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Jenne says people should consider getting their vaccine after six months, and if you’re susceptible to the symptoms of the virus.

“If you are in a group that there is increased risk of disease or high risk of exposure, getting a booster now is probably a better idea than waiting for something literally months to come,” said Jenne.

People over the age of 18 are now eligible for the fourth dose and have been since July 20, 2022, so long as they are five months or more from their last booster.

According to the province, there have been over 221,000 shots of the fourth dose given as people over the age of 70 have been eligible since April 5.

As of July 18, there have been almost nine-million overall vaccine doses administered, and 87.2 per cent of Albertans 12 years and up are fully vaccinated. Meanwhile, 80 per cent of the province has received one dose.

Albertans hesitant to receive latest booster shots, despite availability

Slightly less than half of all Canadians have at least three doses of COVID vaccine, according to Health Canada data.

In addition, according to a poll from the Angus Reid Institute, Albertans are least willing to get a booster dose with only 31 per cent of Albertans saying they would get one.

“The longer we wait, the more it wanes. The more likely we will get breakthrough infections with these variants, and if we keep that immunity topped up, although it’s not perfect, it does reduce the overall risk,” said Jenne.

The poll shows that men under the age of 55 tend to be the least willing to get boosters.

As of July 19, Alberta was the province with the lowest vaccination rate.