New poll indicates most Canadians are ready for a COVID-19 booster
A new poll indicates most Canadians are ready for a COVID-19 booster when their name gets called.
The poll comes after Manitoba expanded eligibility for third doses of the COVID-19 vaccine earlier this week.
The survey, done by Nanos Research and commissioned by CTV News, found 69 per cent of respondents are interested in a booster shot and 15 per cent are somewhat interested.
The regional breakdown shows interest in the prairies was lower at 65 per cent.
"It's still a majority of individuals in the prairies but below the national average," said Nik Nanos of Nanos Research.
Nationally, the recommendation for third doses is for long-term care residents and those with compromised immune systems.
This week in Manitoba the provincial vaccine task force added healthcare workers and those who only got a viral vector vaccine.
"I think it's likely that at some point we'll be recommending a third dose for most people. I would say that's still not a guarantee," said Dr. Joss Reimer, medical lead for the Vaccine Implementation Task Force on Wednesday.
Reimer said it depends on what happens with severe outcomes like hospitalizations, ICU admissions and deaths.
“I don’t want people to be worried that they're not well protected because really the studies have shown that when we are talking about hospitalization and death these vaccines are extremely effective and that protection lasts for a long time."
She added data from recent studies show protection against severe outcomes has stayed at about 90 per cent.
Virologist Jason Kindrachuk said vaccine effectiveness needs that context.
"There's a couple ways to look at this, the protection from getting infected and then there’s the protection from symptomatic disease and severe disease," said Kindrachuk.
He said we need to appreciate there are many variables taken into account when making a broader third dose decision.
"Until a point in time comes where we see all the health organizations move ahead and say, ‘Yes, we need to do broadly third dosing,’ I think we need to rest assured that people have our best interest in mind," said Kindrachuk.
The margin of error for the Nanos survey is plus or minus 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
They were from different countries and barely spoke each other's languages. More than 20 years later, they're still happily in love
He decided to spend Christmas somewhere that wouldn't involve snowstorm disasters. She was spending the holidays with family, travelling for the first time outside of her native country of Venezuela. 23 years later, they're still in love.
Man who set himself on fire outside Trump trial dies of injuries, police say
A man who doused himself in an accelerant and set himself on fire outside the courthouse where former U.S. President Donald Trump is on trial has died, police said.
12 students and teacher killed in Columbine school shooting remembered at 25th anniversary vigil
Thirteen victims of the Columbine High School shooting were remembered during a vigil Friday on the eve of the 25th anniversary of the shooting that was the worst the nation had seen at the time.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
Israeli airstrike in southern Gaza city of Rafah kills at least 9 Palestinians, including 6 children
An Israeli airstrike on a house in Gaza's southernmost city killed at least nine people, six of them children, hospital authorities said Saturday, as Israel pursued its nearly seven-month offensive in the besieged Palestinian territory.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
Iraq investigates a blast at a base of Iran-allied militias that killed 1. U.S. denies involvement
Iraqi authorities said Saturday that they were investigating an explosion that struck a base belonging to the Popular Mobilization Forces, a coalition of Iran-allied militias, killing one person and injuring eight.
The House is on the brink of approving aid for Ukraine and Israel after months of struggle
The House is preparing in a rare Saturday session to approve US$95 billion in foreign aid for Ukraine, Israel and other U.S. allies.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.