Banin Hassan says there is only one reason why she would consider getting a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
“If they make it mandatory and restrict activities or travel again, I would consider it because I love to travel,” said the 27-year-old consultant, who lives in Hamilton and received her first two doses of the vaccine.
“Other than that, nothing could make me change my mind. »
Canadian government data indicates that young adults lag behind other age groups with respect to booster dose. About 35% of people aged 18 to 29 received a third dose. The number climbs to 42% for those aged 30 to 39. On average, 72% of Canadians aged 40 and over have received theirs.
In Quebec, the Ministry of Health indicates that 38% of 18 to 39 year olds received a third dose, compared to 61% of 40 to 59 year olds and 87% of those 70 and older.
A Calgary doctor who has studied vaccine hesitancy says he’s not surprised young adults are falling behind.
“Even before the booster, with the second and first dose, we saw much lower adherence in the 25-year-old (group) compared to the over-65 community,” says Dr. Jia Hu, who leads a group that advises on how to increase membership.
Dr. Hu is the CEO of the 19 to Zero Coalition, made up of doctors, nurses, economists and other experts, which aims to help governments, businesses and communities across Canada build trust towards vaccines.
“One of the things that has allowed us to get higher vaccination rates in the 30-year-old range has been mandatory vaccination, because I don’t think there’s any hesitation in that population (about injections themselves),” Dr. Hu explained. “In this age group, people are less concerned that COVID can cause serious illness. The (vaccination) obligation allows them to resume their lives. »
Ms Hassan’s partner, Humam Yahya, 28, recognizes the benefits of vaccines in reducing serious illnesses, but questions the need to keep getting vaccinated.
“You get a reminder every 8 or 10 months and there’s no end date,” he observed. “You just take these vaccines […] and I’m sure they have great benefits, but we also don’t know the long term side effects. »
He said he was initially afraid of contracting COVID-19 because he has asthma.
“I isolated myself a lot. But then a lot of friends got COVID and their side effects and what they got was far from what I thought it would be, so I lost a lot of fear at that point. »
Ms Hassan adds that some members of her extended family died at the start of the pandemic. More recently, she observed close family members and friends who contracted COVID-19, but with mild symptoms.
“My father has kidney failure and is on his fourth dose. I completely understand that he needs to do it, because his health is a little more compromised. I would even encourage him to continue taking it. For me, I don’t see COVID as a big risk at this point,” Hassan said.
She and Mr Yahya say some friends, especially women, have had bad reactions to the vaccine, so the couple are wary of too many doses.
Liza Samadi, 25, a pharmacy assistant in Hamilton, says she didn’t opt for a booster because it’s not mandatory.
“I was really lazy,” she laughed.
“I just kept delaying, but I ended up having COVID (in January), so I was like, ‘OK, I guess I’m pretty protected right now, so I don’t have need to get it.” »
Ms. Samadi says her whole family has had COVID-19 so they are in no rush to get a booster dose. They would, however, go for a third dose if it became mandatory.
Dr. Hu “very very very strongly” recommends that all Canadians go for the third dose, because the two-dose protection wears off after about six months and “the booster gets you right back (the protection).”
He says that even if the uptake of booster doses in young adults is too low, he doesn’t think 18- to 29-year-olds with COVID-19 will overwhelm hospitals.
But he adds: “Do I think some 25-year-olds could still be hospitalized and die? »
” Yes I think so. »