Province, VIDO encourage booster doses as COVID-19 is once again on the rise
University of Saskatchewan researchers say the viral load of COVID-19 in Saskatoon’s wastewater has shown a week-over-week increase the past month, potentially meaning cases of the virus are on the rise.
“As you see the wastewater levels go up that means, it may not be one-to-one correlation, but that means there is more infections coming up,” said director of business development for VIDO Paul Hodson.
“There's more spread, and as we know, from any infectious disease that transmits through aerosols or through the air, that population density or close contact or dense crowds will will increase the rate of transmission.”
Throughout the pandemic, cases have dropped in the summer months and increased when the weather gets colder and people spend more time indoors, and we should expect that trend to continue in 2022.
“In Australia, for example, coming out of their winter season in the southern hemisphere,” said chief medial health officer Dr. Saqib Shahab.
“With no public health measures, they've seen all the respiratory viruses come back, so influenza, other coughs and colds, COVID.”
Hodgson and Shahab say vaccination remains the most effective way to limit severe infection from the virus.
“I think in Saskatchewan right now about 82 per cent of the eligible population are vaccinated with two doses,” said Hodgson.
“We know that the primary purpose of the vaccine was not necessarily to stop infection but stop hospitalization, which we see the outcome of that now. Definitely the hospitals are less inundated with patients.”
Amanda Slogotski and Clarissa Thomas both went to receive their second booster dose at the walk-in clinic at Merlis Belsher Place on Wednesday, one of the six walk-in clinics in Saskatoon.
“I haven't tested positive for COVID yet and I've always gotten my boosters right when they're available. So trying to hold that luck I guess, and I'm going to Chicago in a month And it seems like a smart idea,” said Thomas.
“I just want to get my immunity up before the school season starts and I know there's more COVID going around lately, so just want to make sure I'm protected,” said Slogotski.
Shahab says fewer than 50 per cent of people in the province have received their first booster dose. He is encouraging those who haven’t to get it as soon as possible.
For those considering a second dose, Shahab says it can likely wait until the fall when bivalent vaccines are expected to be available.
“Some of the companies like Pfizer-BioNTech are actually making bivalent vaccines where they have two antigens,” said Hodgson.
“One from the ancestral strain and one for some of the new variants, in an effort to make them more effective."
Hodgson says new COVID-19 vaccine rollouts will likely occur in the future.
“The general murmurings around through the physicians, public health and scientists is that the vaccine doesn't seem to cause sterilizing immunity,” he said.
“We're not eliminating the viral infection from the vaccines we've had, we're eliminating the hospitalizations. So by that nature, and the continued variants of concern that keep rolling out, I would suggest that's probably what we're looking at.”
Thomas says she’s prepared to receive those vaccinations.
“We've collectively kind of come to the realization that we've got to live with [COVID-19], and getting a booster is important,” she said.
“Making sure your kids are vaccinated is important when they go back to school."
“I just want to make sure that I'm doing everything that I can to stay safe for my kids,” said Slogotski.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Why these immigrants to Canada say they're thinking about leaving, or have already moved on
For some immigrants, their dreams of permanently settling in Canada have taken an unexpected twist.
DEVELOPING Live updates from the Trump hush money trial: Stormy Daniels, bookkeeper testify
Adult film star Stormy Daniels is on the stand a second time Thursday as former U.S. president Donald Trump’s hush money case continues in Manhattan. Follow live updates here.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
Ontario man frustrated after $3,500 paving job leaves driveway in shambles
An Ontario man considering having his driveway paved received a quote from a company for $7,000, but then, another paver in the neighbourhood knocked on his door and offered half that rate.
BREAKING Sheldon Keefe out as head coach of Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs have fired head coach Sheldon Keefe. The team made the announcement Thursday after the Original Six franchise lost to the Boston Bruins in seven games in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Boeing 737 catches fire and skids off the runway at a Senegal airport, injuring 10 people
A Boeing 737-300 plane carrying 85 people skidded off a runway at the airport in Dakar, Senegal's capital, injuring 10 people, according to the transport minister, an airline safety group and footage from a passenger that showed the aircraft on fire.
Breast cancer screening should start at age 40, Canadian Cancer Society says
The Canadian Cancer Society says all provinces and territories should lower the starting age for breast cancer screening to 40.
Man accused of killing two children at Quebec daycare to stand trial in April 2025
The man accused of murdering two children and injuring six others after a city bus crashed into a Montreal-area daycare is scheduled to stand trial over five weeks beginning in April 2025.