Manitoba expands fourth dose eligibility

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This article was published 20/05/2022 (1386 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It will take some time for the number of COVID-19 cases in Manitoba to drop drastically, according to Manitoba’s top doctor.

The fifth wave has likely peaked judging by data on hospitalizations and intensive care unit admissions showing a downward trend, said Dr. Brent Roussin, chief provincial public health officer, at a news conference Friday.

However, the province is monitoring an increase in transmissions. So far, most cases are of the omicron subvariant BA.2, which has shown to be more infectious but less dangerous.

Roussin said while he is confident this latest incarnation of the virus will run its course, it is still proving to be a particularly stubborn one. Hospitalizations and ICU admissions are not dropping quickly because of its high transmission.

The main reason for the slow decline is there is still a high level of incidental transmission, where people are admitted to hospital for an unrelated issue and subsequently test positive for COVID. About 79 per cent of hospital admissions who test positive for COVID are there for non-COVID reasons and about 40 per cent of ICU admissions are there for COVID treatment.

Nearly four people a day are dying from COVID, according to the latest data from the province’s surveillance. Roussin said the widespread nature of omicron has caused the higher death toll because it can infect more people and eventually make its way to people more likely to die from an infection.

As well, public health isn’t investigating each of these cases, so it is possible that people dying from incidental infections.

“We are looking at ways of better understanding this reported increase, but when you change it to a more of a surveillance definition we use for influenza infections,” he said. “If you die within 10 days before, or 30 days after being tested positive for COVID-19, you will be counted as a COVID-19 death. In the past we would have some review to see an obvious cause of death other than COVID.”

The province has still weathered the fifth wave well, he said, attributing the success to the high vaccination rate, with around 80 per cent of eligible Manitobans receiving two doses. Only around 43 per cent have received a booster dose, though.

While vaccines have been effective, immunity wanes over time. The province is expanding eligibility for a fourth dose to anyone over the age of 50 years old. Previously, this was only being offered to anyone over the age of 70. As well, First Nations, Inuit and Métis people over the age of 30 can now get a fourth dose (previously 50 or older) in addition to any immunocompromised person over 18 years, residents of personal-care homes and elderly people living in congregate homes.

The interval between the second and third dose is also being shortened to four months down from six.

Booster doses are not being extended to any other segment of the population at this time.

“We wanted to focus booster dose eligibility on those who are most vulnerable to the disease,” he said. “We are not planning on extending booster doses pending the fall campaign.”

Vaccines are the main weapon against COVID-19, but treatments are available and the province has broadened the requirements to make it easier. The eligibilty now includes anyone who isn’t fully vaccinated, hasn’t received a booster dose, is an older adult, is obese, is pregnant, has never been infected with COVID, has more than one chronic medical condition or moderately or severely immunicompromised due to a medical condition or treatment.

The main antiviral Paxlovid is also being made more widely available. People can get their prescriptions filled at 175 pharmacies across the province. A list of locations and more information is available at https://gov.mb.ca/covid19/treatment/paxlovid-locations.html.

Another disease on the minds of Canadians is monkeypox, which has appeared in Quebec. Roussin said there are no known cases of it in Manitoba yet. The province needs to be aware of it, he said, but there have been cases of it before in Canada, so this isn’t a new virus for the country.

“Like any other emerging infection, we will have that high level of suspicion early on in case we are dealing with any cases early on.”

» kmckinley@brandonsun.com

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