When could COVID-19 vaccine boosters be open for all adults? Timing is everything, experts say

One of Canada's top health officials said the timing of a third dose rollout to all adults is important if that decision is made.

One of Canada’s top health officials said Friday that Canada may recommend next year for all adults to have a third dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, but the timing of such a rollout is important.

“At some point next year there might be a recommendation for everyone to have a third dose,” said Public Health Agency of Canada’s deputy chief public health officer, Dr. Howard Njoo.

“We need to do a risk-benefit or cost-benefit analysis because it would be a big decision to have a third dose for everyone,” he said.

“We don’t want to administer third doses too early but we also don’t want to wait too long to administer the third dose … we don’t want to wait until such a time there are too many cases among vaccinated people.”

Health Canada has recently approved both Pfizer and Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine boosters for all adults over 18 years old, but Canada’s National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) has not yet recommended booster shots to the general population.

A third dose for those 18 years of age and older has been approved in Manitoba, whereas Ontario has approved it for those 70 and older, health-care workers and essential caregivers in congregate settings, as well as those who received two shots of the AstraZeneca vaccine and Indigenous residents.

Quebec also recently expanded eligibility for those 70 and older and the Yukon, where cases are surging, is making it available for those 50 and over.

Queen’s University Infectious disease professor Dr. Gerald Evans believes that a third dose will be recommended for all adults at some point in order to “get the maximum benefit from vaccines.”