All Nova Scotians aged 50 and older will be able to access second COVID-19 boosters by next week, though public health recommends people under 70 wait until the fall before getting another shot.
The province decided to expand booster dose eligibility on July 8 to people aged 50 to 69 because some Nova Scotians had been asking for a fourth dose, deputy chief medical officer of health Dr. Shelley Deeks told reporters Monday.
“Public health is recommending that people in this age group actually wait until fall, but if they’re absolutely dead set on receiving a vaccine sooner, they can,” Deeks said.
The first booster still offers strong protection against severe COVID-19, she said, adding that virus activity in Nova Scotia is stable.
“We expect that we’ll see a resurgence of disease later in the fall or winter when people start congregating indoors again,” Deeks said.
Residents would ideally get a second booster just before the next surge of disease activity is expected, the deputy medical officer said.
Currently, only those 70 years old and up are able to book appointments for a fourth dose of the vaccine, a policy that is in line with recommendations from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization.
Deeks said the province has opened up eligibility to allow people to make the choice for themselves, “after they are given all the information about why we recommend to wait.”
As of June 20, almost 66 per cent of adults in Nova Scotia had received at least one booster.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 27, 2022.