Quebec’s national health director, Dr. Luc Boileau, announced at a press conference on Friday that he is recommending a booster shot for all adults who received their last dose of the vaccine more than 5 months ago.
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In an interview, Mr. Boileau had to defend himself for reiterating several times this summer that Quebecers had a choice whether or not to opt for an extra dose.
“Not much will change in our embassy. The vaccine protects us very well against severe forms of the disease. When it’s been 5 months, it’s time to get your new booster dose,” he says.
dr Luc Boileau confirms he was “surprised” by the size of the 7th wave.
“We were definitely surprised. Moreover, the whole planet was surprised, especially European countries. This wave defies the projections we had. We had the effect of the variants [BA.4 et BA.5]who showed us how contagious they are. We didn’t get out of this pandemic or this wave,” he said.
New vaccines tailored to the prevailing variants will be available in the autumn, but public health says that’s no reason not to get vaccinated now.
“The new vaccine is not there yet. By the time your immunity is 5 months old, it is slowly declining. Eventually, when the new vaccine is here, we will be able to use it. We’re not sure the new vaccine is that much better,” he explains.
“Quebecians remain concerned about COVID, and with good reason. COVID can make people very ill and lead to death. You have to be careful,” he concludes.
***Watch the full interview above***