Pharmacists applaud COVID booster shot update

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This article was published 05/12/2023 (734 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The organization that represents Manitoba pharmacists says it is pleased the province has updated and clarified its guidelines on COVID-19 booster eligibility post-viral infection.

“We recognise that there are a number of Manitobans who are making preparations to head to warmer climates for the winter, and were anxious about their ability to receive vaccination before leaving, and so this provides better clarification for health providers on what the expectations are for people who might be asking for their vaccines closer than six months,” said Tim Smith, pharmacy practice adviser with Pharmacists Manitoba.

Chief provincial public health officer Dr. Brent Roussin announced last week that Manitoba hoped to increase COVID booster uptake by shortening the eligibility to three months after a COVID-19 infection. Previously, the recommendation was to wait six months after infection before getting the booster.

“It wasn’t something we were actively advocating for, but as health providers, considering the evidence out there, I think most pharmacists recognized that the six-month recommendation wasn’t based on safety concerns about getting vaccinated sooner, it’s more about optimizing the immune response for the individual client,” Smith said.

The presence of such guidance from the province allows pharmacists to have informed-consent conversations with their clients “to make sure that patients get the vaccines that are best for them at the times that they need them,” he said.

It’s unclear whether the change has affected vaccination uptake.

As of Nov. 25, just under 15 per cent of eligible Manitobans had received a dose of COVID vaccine in the past six months.

Uptake was highest among seniors, with about 45 per cent vaccine coverage among those 65 or older, as per the latest provincial respiratory virus report published Dec. 1.

Uptake is around four per cent for Manitobans under 18.

There is less than seven per cent uptake for adults aged 18 to 49.

The provincial government clarified the three-month interval on social media Tuesday, saying COVID-19 boosters are available for Manitobans three months since their last vaccine dose or last COVID infection.

On Monday, only four days after Roussin announced the shorter interval, the provincial government account on X (formerly Twitter) mistakenly reposted a tweet that advised Manitobans with text and an accompanying graphic to wait six months between booster shots.

The repost from Dec. 4 was still up as of Tuesday evening, although the province put up a new post clarifying the interval Tuesday afternoon.

katie.may@winnipegfreepress.com