Health officials must tackle Canadians’ confusion over vaccines, before it’s too late

Health officials must tackle Canadians’ confusion over vaccines, before it’s too late

By Shachi Kurl, President

Ah, autumn. The return to school, work and familiar routines. The return of everything pumpkin-flavoured. And, in this “modern” era, the return of increased COVID-19 transmission.

Seven waves and nearly three years since this novel coronavirus first pierced our collective consciousness, perhaps the knowledge that a lot of people are going to get sick doesn’t strike the same level of fear or concern anymore. Perhaps it needn’t. Hospitalization rates are falling. For most, two red lines on a rapid test may mean some weeks of discomfort, but not death.

Still, for those who are immunocompromised or who have loved ones fighting suppressed immune systems, the months ahead again call for more weary caution. It was likely a relief when federal Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos announced Thursday that Health Canada had approved a new “bivalent” vaccine from Moderna, supposedly more effective than those currently available. The news was a mix of good and meh. In an age of misinformation, COVID fatigue and waning vaccine enthusiasm, it is the meh that presents the risk.

Read more from the article in the Ottawa Citizen here.

Image – Towfiqu barbhuiya/Unsplash

 


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