Ontario is now in the midst of another pandemic wave, fueled in part by the rapidly spreading Omicron BA.5 subvariant, which is now the dominant strain in the province. Despite this, vaccine uptake has increased. According to provincial data as of June 30, about 57 per cent of eligible Ontarians aged 12 and over have received three shots. That means just over 4.4 million people who received the first two installments have yet to roll up their sleeves for their souvenir, as officials debate whether eligibility for the fourth installment should be extended. “I think it has to do with lifting restrictions,” said Dr. Zahid Butt, an assistant professor in the school of public health sciences at the University of Waterloo. “I think people thought that maybe … because it’s not as serious anymore, maybe we don’t need the booster shot.” “That’s the message they got when we lifted all the restrictions.” Not surprisingly, the demographic that has been most diligent about getting the amp implemented is the elderly population. Almost 90 percent of people aged 70 and over have been triple vaccinated against the novel coronavirus. About 80 percent of people between the ages of 60 and 69 have received all three shots. That rate drops drastically in the younger demographic—those who are also not yet eligible for a fourth installment. More than one million people between the ages of 18 and 29 have received two doses and are considered fully vaccinated according to the provincial classification, but have not yet had the third shot. That’s about 39 percent of those eligible. “After the initial excitement and hype of getting the first dose, the second dose, it just dies. It’s lost its appeal,” Dr. Susie Hota, medical director of infection prevention and control at the University Health Network, told CTV News Toronto. “It’s no surprise that we’re a little behind on the third installments.” Coupled with the mixed messages involved in lifting public health restrictions, Hota adds that many may believe they are sufficiently immune to the COVID-19 infection that they don’t need another shot. “People’s willingness to accept COVID has changed,” he said. “But this message confuses people. We’re seeing movement in one direction in terms of restrictions and measures to deal with the pandemic, but that doesn’t mean the pandemic is over.” Antibodies that protect against the novel coronavirus — created by a vaccine or by being infected with the virus — can wane after about six months, Butt explained, which is why it’s so important to get the boosters. “The goal of the booster shot is precisely to boost your immunity,” he said. “That’s why you see that all the booster doses, the recommendation is that they should be given six months after the second dose. And for people who have gotten their first souvenir, you’ll see that now, in fact, all six months have passed.” Both Butt and Hota say eligibility for fourth doses should be expanded given the waning immunity within the community. As it stands, only residents over the age of 60, the immunocompromised and Indigenous adults are eligible for a fourth dose. Ontario’s Ministry of Health has previously said it is following national guidelines and will provide more details about fall booster shots in the coming weeks.

‘SMART MARKETING’ NEEDED TO ENCOURAGE AMPLIFIERS

In light of a fall booster plan, public health experts say summer is the perfect time to get up to speed on vaccinations. However, there are still challenges in getting people to continue the process. “I think it’s smart marketing to try to get people’s attention again,” explains Hota. “You know, we’ve been a little bit exhausted from all the messaging about COVID over the last two and a half years. Nobody wants to read about it anymore.” “We have to find different ways to get that message across that will get attention.” Hota said she has heard of cities backing out of festivals and large events where people will gather, but she isn’t sure how successful those campaigns have been. He also urged residents not to wait for other vaccines currently being tested against newer variants or strains of COVID-19, adding that it is more important to get the boosters when they are offered as they still provide protection against severe symptoms, hospitalization and risk of death. That kind of messaging should be front and center, Butt added, saying that public health communications are about consistency—residents need to be reminded often about the importance of vaccination, not just once a month. . On Wednesday, Ontario’s COVID-19 Scientific Advisory Panel released a series of Tweets confirming that the province has entered a new wave of the pandemic and indicating that vaccination remains “critical to protecting against serious disease.” “If you’re over 18 and haven’t had your third dose – get it now,” they said.

  1. Make sure your vaccinations are up to date. 60% of adults have received the 3rd dose. It provides significant additional protection against serious diseases. If you are over 18 and haven’t had your third dose – get it now. (13/17) — COVIDScienceOntario (@COVIDSciOntario) July 6, 2022 In the past, public health units have done everything from hosting mass vaccination events, using mobile clinics in high-risk priority neighborhoods, and spearheading family-centered advertising campaigns. In Toronto, an area that has been considered a hot spot for COVID-19 for years, strategies also include targeted phone-calling campaigns and using places where people congregate, such as public libraries, malls and schools. Toronto’s vaccination campaign has been largely scaled back over the past six months. There are currently six city dispensaries open during the day, as well as several pharmacies offering the COVID-19 vaccine.