The injection of the third doses of the COVID-19 vaccine will begin in January for Quebecers under the age of 60. Those who received two doses and contracted the disease, however, may enjoy comparable immunity, according to experts consulted by the Duty.
The valves will be wide open for injections of third doses from the beginning of 2022, assured the Minister of Health, Christian Dubé, Tuesday at a press conference. On the other hand, the thousands of people who have contracted the disease with two doses in the body “should not rush for their third dose”, tempers the professor at the department of biological sciences at UQAM and expert in virology, Benoit Barbeau. “Theoretically, having an infection after two doses is a bit like three doses,” he explains. It reactivates the immune system and your antibodies are in the ceiling. “
Being infected with the Omicron variant could even be more effective than a third dose, because this contamination elicits “an immune response better suited to this variant than if you receive a third dose which is like the original virus. “.
This immunity acquired by infection is however only “theoretical”, because it depends on the strength of the symptoms, nuance Alain Lamarre, professor specializing in immunology and virology at the National Institute of Scientific Research. “The more severe the infection, the more generally the immune system will have been stimulated. If we have a symptomatic or very little symptomatic form of the disease, then it may be good to get a third dose. It is on a case-by-case basis. “
“I would be more careful than not enough,” he adds. If we can avoid getting a second infection, I would have no problem recommending that we seek this additional protection. “
The government has not issued a specific directive for this type of case. During his announcement, Minister Christian Dubé especially detailed the vaccination schedule for these booster doses.
Appointments for the third dose will be open for 55 to 59 year olds on January 4, for 50 to 54 year olds on January 6, for 45 to 49 year olds on January 10, for 40 to 44 year olds on January 12, for 35 to 39 year olds on January 14, for 30 to 34 year olds on January 17, for 25 to 29 year olds on January 19 and finally for 18 to 24 year olds on January 21.
“We actually want to vaccinate 2 to 3 million people per month, which would bring us in March to have vaccinated the entire population,” said the Minister of Health.
Being vaccinated or being sick
The minister issued a warning to people who still refuse to be vaccinated. “In less than three months, all the unvaccinated will have contracted the disease. Either you are going to get vaccinated, or you are going to get sick and sick when you are not vaccinated, is to put unnecessary pressure on our health network. It is never too late to receive your vaccine. “
Comments confirmed by the experts consulted by the Duty. “We have a virus that is more contagious than chickenpox. It is certain that the majority of unvaccinated Quebecers will be infected, ”assures Benoit Barbeau.
Even if they only make up 11% of the population, the unvaccinated are responsible for 45% of hospitalizations over the past 28 days, according to data from Santé Québec.
In the province, this 11% represents about 600,000 people. “If there is a group that can help us at the moment, it is the non-vaccinated”, insisted Christian Dubé.