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B.C. COVID-19 vaccine plan: Seniors 80+ can get shot starting March 15 – Vancouver Sun

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Vaccinations for people between the ages of 60-79 will begin in mid-April, while those under 59 can get their shots between July and September

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VICTORIA — Seniors over 80 and Indigenous people over 65 will start receiving their COVID-19 vaccinations on March 15, B.C.’s premier said Monday morning as he released details of the province’s mass vaccination plan for the general public.

The province will extend the timeline between the first and second dose to 16 weeks, or 112 days, to allow a broader segment of the population to receive vaccine protection sooner. During Monday’s press conference, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said research has shown that one dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine provides up to 90 per cent protection for up to four months.

Approximately 400,000 people, including 175,000 seniors over 80 living at home and 35,000 Indigenous seniors over 65, will receive their first dose of the vaccine in mid-March and early April as part of phase 2 of B.C.’s four-phase vaccination strategy.

About 190,000 vaccines are destined for high-risk groups, including health care workers, and high-risk people living in congregate settings, such as shelters or correctional facilities. Vaccines will also be delivered to about 9,000 people living in remote or isolated Indigenous communities who are still waiting for the vaccine.

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Premier John Horgan said while the vaccine plan will likely provide optimism for seniors, he stressed that it’s import for people to continue to follow public health guidelines over the coming months.

“Although there is light at the end of the tunnel, we are far from out of this,” Horgan said. “We have months to go. And I want British Columbians to take the good news we’re hearing today with the joy that it deserves but we need to remind ourselves not just today but next week and next month that we have a long long way to go.”

Seniors can begin calling to book their appointment on or after March 8. Each health authority will have their own call centre number.

The province has divided the over-80 population into subgroups the avoid overloading the call system, which has been a source of frustration in other provinces. The subgroups are as follows:

• On March 8, seniors over 90 and Indigenous people over 65 can begin calling to book their appointment starting March 15.
• On March 15, seniors over 85 can call to book a vaccination appointment starting March 22.
• On March 22, seniors over 80 can call to book their vaccination appointment starting March 29.

The province is asking people to only call when they are eligible. Anyone who misses their age-based dates can still call and book their vaccination any time after they become eligible.

Seniors can have a family member, friend or any support person call for them. Health authority call centre information and step-by-step process will soon be available via gov.bc.ca/bcseniorsfirst and health authority websites. Fraser Health Authority will also have an online booking system because of the number of seniors in the region.

When people call their regional health authority, they will be asked for their full name, date of birth, postal code, personal health number and contact information. People will be given a choice of nearby vaccination clinics and the call centre agent will confirm the time and location of the vaccination appointment. The province will also direct people to information if they are feeling hesitant about receiving the vaccine.

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To avoid fraud, the province is warning people that the health authority will never ask people for their social insurance number, driver’s license number or banking and credit card details.

Vaccinations for people between the ages of 60 to 79 will begin in mid-April as part of Phase 3. The vaccine will be prioritized based on five-year increments, starting with people aged 75 to 79 and Indigenous people over 60, who can start registering for an appointment at the end of March. People will be expected to register through a two-step online registration and booking system with a provincial call centre to help those who need it.

Finally, those under 59 will receive their vaccinations between July and September, again based on five-year increments, going from oldest to youngest.

The province is expecting 415,000 vaccines to arrive between now and mid-April, including 255,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine that will provide first doses until March 29. Two shipments, or 160,000 doses, of the Moderna vaccine are expected to arrive in mid-to-late March.

Henry said the third vaccine, the Oxford-AstraZeneca, approved by Health Canada on Friday, could provide the opportunity for some first-responders and essential front-line workers — such as postal workers, poultry workers, teachers and police officers — to get the vaccine sooner. She said those workers could have the choice between receiving the AstraZeneca vaccine sooner or waiting for until their age category for the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines.

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“I think it’s really good news,” Henry said. “It means that everyone moves up in line.”

B.C. is expecting 60,000 doses of AstraZeneca by the second week of March. The federal government has secured 22 million doses, which are expected to arrive between April and September.

The two-dose AstraZeneca viral vector vaccine vaccine has been shown to be 62 per cent effective in preventing symptomatic COVID-19 starting from two weeks after the second dose, said Health Canada. It is considered “fridge stable,” making it easier to transport and distribute than the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, which have to be stored in extremely cold temperatures.

The first phase of the vaccination, which started in January, targeted residents, staff and essential visitors of long-term care and assisted living homes — the majority of whom have received their jabs — as well as health workers caring for COVID-19 patients and people living in remote Indigenous communities some of whom are still waiting for their shots.

During the first two weeks of March, vaccinations will be delivered to health care workers, high-risk seniors and staff in independent living homes, high-risk seniors living in supportive housing and high-risk people living in congregate settings like shelters, group homes, correctional facilities and residential treatment centres. Another 70,000 people will receive their second dose in March.

The biggest challenge for the province so far has been supply delays as Canada relies on drug manufacturers outside its borders for vaccine doses.

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The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, which have been administered during Phase 1, have shown to be more than 90 per cent effective and have reduced COVID-19 outbreaks in long-term care homes.

As of Feb. 26, 252,373 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in the province, 73,808 of which are second doses. That represents about 3.5 per cent of B.C.’s population, which lags behind nearby Washington State which has vaccinated about 14 per cent of its population.

The B.C. government has promised that approximately 4.3 million British Columbians over 18 will be vaccinated by September, equating to 8.6 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.

with files from Cheryl Chan

kderosa@postmedia.com
twitter.com/katiederosayyj


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Kevin Neil Friesen Obituary 2024 – Crossings Funeral Care

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It is with heavy hearts that we announce the peaceful passing of Kevin Neil Friesen age 53 on Thursday, March 28, 2024 at the Bethesda Regional Health Centre.

A funeral service will be held at 2:00 pm on Thursday, April 4, 2024 at the Bothwell Christian Fellowship Church, with viewing one hour prior to the service.

A longer notice to follow.  

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Spring allergies: Where is it worse in Canada? – CTV News

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The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities such as Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal.

Daniel Coates, director of Aerobiology Research Laboratories in Ottawa, expects the elevated amounts to continue next week for places, such as most of Ontario, if the temperature continues to rise. Aerobiology creates allergen forecasts based on data it collects from the air on various pollens and mould spores.

Pollens are fertilizing fine powder from certain plants such as trees, grass and weeds. They contain a protein that irritates allergy sufferers.

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Although pollen levels declined after a cold spell in some places, he said they are soaring again across parts of Canada.

“So the worst is definitely British Columbia right now, followed by Ontario and Quebec and then the Prairies and Atlantic Canada for the upcoming weeks,” said Coates in a video interview with CTVNews.ca. “We are seeing pollen pretty much everywhere, including the Maritimes.”

He said pollen has increased over the past 20 years largely due to longer periods of warm weather in Canada.

Meanwhile, the Maritimes is one of the best places to live in Canada if you have seasonal allergies, in part because of its rocky territory, Coates said.

With high levels of cedar and birch pollen, British Columbia is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada, he added.

“British Columbia is going strong,” Coates explained, noting the allergy season started “very early” in the province in late January. “It has been going strong since late January, early February and it’s progressing with high levels of pollen, mostly cedar, but birch as well, and birch is highly allergenic.”

Causes of high pollen levels

Coates expects a longer allergy season if the warm weather persists. He notes pollen is increasing in Canada and worldwide, adding that in some cases the allergy season is starting earlier and lasting longer than 15 years ago.

He says tree pollen produced last year is now being released into the air because of warmer weather.

“Mother nature acts like a business,” he said. “So you have cyclical periods where things go up and down. … So when it cooled down a little bit, we saw (pollen) reduce in its levels, but now it’s going to start spiking.”

Along with warmer weather, another factor in higher pollen levels is people planting more male trees in urban areas because they don’t produce flowers and fruits and are less messy as a result, he said. But male trees produce pollen while female ones mostly do not.

Moulds

Coates said moulds aren’t as much of a problem.

“They’ve been mainly at lower levels so far this season,” he explained. “Moulds aren’t as bad in many areas of Canada, but they’re really, really bad in British Columbia.”

In B.C., moulds are worse because of its wet climate and many forested areas, he said.

Coping with allergies

Dr. Blossom Bitting, a naturopathic doctor and herbal medicine expert who works for St. Francis Herb Farm, says a healthy immune system is important to deal with seasonal allergies.

“More from a holistic point of view, we want to keep our immune system strong,” she said in a video interview with CTVNews.ca from Shediac, N.B. “Some would argue allergies are an overactive immune system.”

Bitting said ways to balance and strengthen the immune system include managing stress levels and getting seven to nine hours of restful sleep. “There is some research that shows that higher amounts of emotional stress can also contribute to how much your allergies react to the pollen triggers,” Bitting said.

Eating well by eating more whole foods and less processed foods along with exercising are also important, she added. She recommends foods high in Omega-3 Fatty Acids such as flaxseeds, flaxseed oil, walnuts and fish. Fermented foods with probiotics such as yogurt, kimchi and miso, rather than pasteurized ones, can keep the gut healthy, she added. Plant medicines or herbs such as astragalus, reishi mushrooms, stinging nettle and schisandra can help bodies adapt to stressors, help balance immune systems or stabilize allergic reactions, she said.

To cope with allergies, she recommends doing the following to reduce exposure to pollen:

  • Wear sunglasses to get less pollen into the eyes;
  • Wash outdoor clothes frequently, use outer layers for outside and remove them when you go inside the house;
  • Use air purifiers such as with HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filters;
  • Wash pets and children after they go outside;
  • Keep the window closed on days with high pollen counts.

Mariam Hanna, a pediatric allergist, clinical immunologist and associate professor with McMaster University in Hamilton, Ont., says immunotherapy can help patients retrain their bodies by working with an allergist so they become more tolerant to pollens and have fewer symptoms.

“Some patients will need medications like over-the-counter antihistamines or speaking with their doctor about the right types of medications to help with symptom control,” she said in a video interview with CTVNews.ca.

Coates recommends people check pollen forecasts and decrease their exposure to pollen since no cure exists for allergies. “The best is knowing what’s in the air so that you can adjust your schedules, or whatever you’re doing, around the pollen levels.”

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Do you need a spring COVID-19 vaccine? Research backs extra round for high-risk groups

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Recent studies suggest staying up-to-date on COVID shots helps protect high-risk groups from severe illness

New guidelines suggest certain high-risk groups could benefit from having another dose of a COVID-19 vaccine this spring — and more frequent shots in general — while the broader population could be entering once-a-year territory, much like an annual flu shot.

Medical experts told CBC News that falling behind on the latest shots can come with health risks, particularly for individuals who are older or immunocompromised.

Even when the risk of infection starts to increase, the vaccines still do a really good job at decreasing risk of severe disease, said McMaster University researcher and immunologist Matthew Miller.

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Who needs another COVID shot?

Back in January, Canada’s national vaccine advisory body set the stage for another round of spring vaccinations. In a statement (new window), the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) stated that starting in spring 2024, individuals at an increased risk of severe COVID may get an extra dose of the latest XBB.1.5-based vaccines, which better protect against circulating virus variants.

That means:

  • Adults aged 65 and up.
  • Adult residents of long-term care homes and other congregate living settings for seniors.
  • Anyone six months of age or older who is moderately to severely immunocompromised.

The various spring recommendations don’t focus on pregnancy, despite research (new window) showing clear links between a COVID infection while pregnant, and increased health risks. However, federal guidance does note that getting vaccinated during pregnancy can protect against serious outcomes.

Vaccinated people can also pass antibodies to their baby through the placenta and through breastmilk, that guidance states (new window).

What do the provinces now recommend?

Multiple provinces have started rolling out their own regional guidance based on those early recommendations — with a focus on allowing similar high-risk groups to get another round of vaccinations.

B.C. is set to announce guidance on spring COVID vaccines in early April, officials told CBC News, and those recommendations are expected to align with NACI’s guidance.

In Manitoba (new window), high-risk individuals are already eligible for another dose, provided it’s been at least three months since their latest COVID vaccine.

Meanwhile Ontario’s latest guidance (new window), released on March 21, stresses that high-risk individuals may get an extra dose during a vaccine campaign set to run between April and June. Eligibility will involve waiting six months after someone’s last dose or COVID infection.

Having a spring dose is particularly important for individuals at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19 who did not receive a dose during the Fall 2023 program, the guidance notes.

And in Nova Scotia (new window), the spring campaign will run from March 25 to May 31, also allowing high-risk individuals to get another dose.

Specific eligibility criteria vary slightly from province-to-province, so Canadians should check with their primary care provider, pharmacist or local public health team for exact guidelines in each area.

WATCH: Age still best determines when to get next COVID vaccine dose, research suggests:

 

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Age still best determines when to get COVID vaccines, new research suggests

It’s been four years since COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, and new research suggests your age may determine how often you should get a booster shot.

Why do the guidelines focus so much on age?

The rationale behind the latest spring guidelines, Miller said, is that someone’s age remains one of the greatest risk factors associated with severe COVID outcomes, including hospitalization, intensive care admission and death.

So that risk starts to shoot up at about 50, but really takes off in individuals over the age of 75, he noted.

Canadian data (new window) suggests the overwhelming majority of COVID deaths have been among older adults, with nearly 60 per cent of deaths among those aged 80 or older, and roughly 20 per cent among those aged 70 to 79.

People with compromised immune systems or serious medical conditions are also more vulnerable, Miller added.

Will people always need regular COVID shots?

While the general population may not require shots as frequently as higher-risk groups, Miller said it’s unlikely there will be recommendations any time soon to have a COVID shot less than once a year, given ongoing uncertainty about COVID’s trajectory.

Going forward, I suspect for pragmatic reasons, [COVID vaccinations] will dovetail with seasonal flu vaccine campaigns, just because it makes the implementation much more straightforward, Miller said.

And although we haven’t seen really strong seasonal trends with SARS-CoV-2 now, I suspect we’ll get to a place where it’s more seasonal than it has been.

In the meantime, the guidance around COVID shots remains simple at its core: Whenever you’re eligible to get another dose — whether that’s once or twice a year — you might as well do it.

What does research say?

One analysis, published in early March in the medical journal Lancet Infectious Diseases (new window), studied more than 27,000 U.S. patients who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, the virus behind COVID, between September and December 2023.

The team found individuals who had an updated vaccine reduced their risk of severe illness by close to a third — and the difference was more noticeable in older and immunocompromised individuals.

Another American research team from Stanford University recently shared the results from a modelling simulation looking at the ideal frequency for COVID vaccines.

The study in Nature Communications (new window) suggests that for individuals aged 75 and up, having an annual COVID shot could reduce severe infections from an estimated 1,400 cases per 100,000 people to around 1,200 cases — while bumping to twice a year could cut those cases even further, down to 1,000.

For younger, healthier populations, however, the benefit of regular shots against severe illness was more modest.

The outcome wasn’t a surprise to Stanford researcher Dr. Nathan Lo, an infectious diseases specialist, since old age has consistently been a risk factor for severe COVID.

It’s almost the same pattern that’s been present the entire pandemic, he said. And I think that’s quite striking.

More frequent vaccination won’t prevent all serious infections, he added, or perhaps even a majority of those infections, which highlights the need for ongoing mitigation efforts.

Lauren Pelley (new window) · CBC News

 

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