Quebec Changes Course for Elderly in Nursing Homes–COVID-19 Booster Not Required Due to Pervasive Side Effects
Did the Quebec government stop administering COVID-19 vaccine boosters to the elderly in long-term care (e.g., nursing homes) who had already received two doses, and already were infected with COVID-19? According to a left-leaning Quebec publication, that’s exactly what just happened. Titled ‘A third dose too much for seniors who had COVID-19,’ the article reported those individuals residing in the Canadian province aged 70 and above who have already been infected with SARS-CoV-2 won’t be recommended to take a third booster dose. Apparently, the Quebec Immunization Committee (CIQ) changed the direction based on feedback from a number of seniors who experienced severe side effects from the boost. The effort to turnaround the policy was led by Dr. Sophie Zhang, deputy co-head at CIUSSS du Center-Sud Montreal, who alerted the CIQ and the provincial Ministry of Health and Social Services to the concern.
Initially, the provincial government sought to offer the booster dose to the elderly, as reported in September.
Apparently, Dr. Zhang communicates and collaborates with many provincial physicians in the residential and long -term care centers (CHSLDs) she oversees in her role. With mounting reports of severe side effects, this was of particular concern among those who had both doses and a previous SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Reported by Marie-Eve Cousineau, the media online reports that the third booster mission commenced October 18 with heavy dependence on the Moderna mRNA-based vaccine (mRNA-1273 or Spikevax). Thereafter, reports of side effects grew from high fever, weakness, fatigue, loss of appetite and more. Others had more severe reactions such as difficulty with breathing with lowering levels of oxygen and even bouts of delirium.
In fact, there were so many adverse side effects reported so fast that the CIUSSS du Center-Sud-de-Montreal opted to stop the booster administration process in seniors who already had COVID-19 plus their two doses.
This news comes from Le Devoir or “Duty” a French-language media published in Montreal and distributed in Quebec and throughout Canada. One of the few independent large-circulation newspapers in this French-speaking province, it was traditionally considered Canada’s “Francophone newspaper of record but now faces growing competition from La Presse.
Few media have reported on this news. One is Canadian Westphalian Times, Canadian province stops giving boosters to elders who have had COVID in the past due to severe, life-threatening side effects (westphaliantimes.com) an independent online media touting independence. According to their senior editor and journalist Samuel Rz, he reached out to Dr. Zhang who didn’t offer a truly transparent answer, shared the editor, rather she stated, “it’s a really tricky question. When a senior in a nursing home dies, how do you say it was the vaccine or not the vaccine [that caused the death]?”
Review of Existing CIQ Vaccination Policy for Long-Term Care Residences
TrialSite reviewed the Quebec CIQ website for clarity (in addition to reaching out to Dr. Sophie Zhang). The last declaration was posted last month. The website declares the following:
People 80 and up are recommended to get boosted with an mRNA vaccine, respecting an interval of at least six months since the administration of the second dose.
For those 70-79 “the need and usefulness of a booster dose is less obvious at this time, but the CIQ considers it acceptable that these people can take advantage of this booster dose if they do so desire.”
For people under the age of 70 the “the administration of a booster dose does not appear to be necessary at this time.”
Of note, a different than in the USA when it comes to the elderly “Given the high protection conferred by the primary vaccination, it appears desirable that all the persons having benefited from it be considered as adequately protected, even if a booster dose is made available to certain precise groups of the population.”
Call to Action: The underlying source can be read here. TrialSite has reached out to Dr. Sophie Zhang for more details ongoing