Some Maritimers rolling up their sleeves for a third dose of COVID-19 vaccine

Maritime provinces offering third dose Some Maritime provinces are offering a third dose, or booster shot, of the COVID-19 vaccine. Natasha Pace reports.

HALIFAX — Some Maritimers are now rolling up their sleeves for a third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Right now, Nova Scotia is offering a third dose of vaccine to those who are moderately to severely immunocompromised and to people who need to travel for work,so they can meet entry requirements or avoid isolation in a country that does not recognize mixed doses.

In Prince Edward Island, residents of long-term care are able to receive their third dose at the facility where they live. P.E.I. is also offering an additional shot to those who are moderately to severely immunocompromised or who received a mixed dose of COVID-19 vaccines.

Starting Nov. 1 in New Brunswick, people who are 65 and older, school personnel, and those who received one or two doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, will be able to book an appointment for an MRNA booster dose.

New Brunswickers who are immunocompromised are already eligible for a third dose of vaccine.

"In the months ahead, we will also provide booster shots to the general public based on the evidence of vaccine effectiveness. To date, we believe that most vaccinated New Brunswickers are still fully vaccinated by the vaccine," said Dr. Jennifer Russell, New Brunswick's chief medical officer of health.

British Columbia announced this week that booster shots will be offered to several vulnerable groupsbefore the end of the year and to the broader population beginning in January.

When it comes to offering widespread third doses, Thompson says Nova Scotia is waiting for guidance from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI).

"We've had discussions with our public health partners about when we will move forward with that. Some provinces have gone out early. We are waiting for NACI statements as we've done throughout the pandemic. So, we expect to hear from Dr. Strang and his team, as well, as the NACI statements soon."

Dr. Zahid Butt, an infectious disease epidemiologist with the University of Waterloo, said long-term studies would have to be done to determine if booster doses have an impact.

"We have seen some studies that are looking at whether the immunity wanesover time. So, what they're seeing in these studies is that around six months or so, the immunity with COVID-19 vaccines decreases. The question here is to what extent it decreases? Which means that you would have to know if it decreases to that level that it cannot prevent severe disease or death," said Butt.

The Nova Scotia Health Coalition said it's important to find a balance when it comes to third doses.

"As long COVID-19 is running like wildfire through other counties, it's going to mutate, we're going to see more variants and it's going to put people in Nova Scotia at risk," said Chris Parsons, executive director of the coalition. "So, we really need to find the right balance of people here having the protection they need, but also, we're ensuring that there's vaccine equity on a national level."