Quebecers who have contracted COVID-19 should make an appointment to receive their third dose of the vaccine, the national director of public health, Dr. Luc Boileau, ruled on Tuesday.
He was trying to clear up the confusion that arose after the Minister of Health, Christian Dubé, Public Health and the Quebec Immunization Committee (CIQ) issued different recommendations.
The day before, the leader of the Conservative Party of Quebec (PCQ), Éric Duhaime, had asked for clarification on behalf of “hundreds of thousands” of Quebecers who have been sick and who no longer know on which foot to dance, according to him.
He recalled that Mr. Dubé had recommended to those who had COVID-19 to get their third dose of the vaccine as soon as their symptoms disappeared.
Public Health has recommended waiting at least eight weeks, while the CIQ is of the opinion that these people should rather wait for the arrival of a new vaccine that can protect against variants.
Dr. Boileau said on Tuesday that he discussed the situation with the president of the CIQ, Dr. Caroline Quach. “If there is confusion in the message, it is very unintentional,” he said.
“There will be another vaccine coming and we thought it would come sooner. But in all likelihood, it won’t happen. So, between one yours and two you will have it, […] we are better […] to have the third dose.”
He encourages all those who have contracted COVID-19 to make an appointment now to receive the booster dose, even if it means receiving it eight to 12 weeks after their infection if it has been confirmed by a PCR test.
“They should register right away to be able to make sure they have the appointment to benefit from it,” said Dr. Boileau.
“We should not hesitate to get this third dose, firstly because it poses no side effects or risks for people who have been infected recently.
“But it’s mostly to make sure our immunity is on full blast if we’re called upon to be confronted with the virus or called back to be confronted with the virus,” he continued.