N.B. May Delay 2nd Dose Of COVID Vaccine For Some

New Brunswick is looking at delaying the second dose of COVID-19 vaccine for some residents amid supply delays and uncertainty.

Dr. Jennifer Russell, the province’s chief medical officer of health, said Thursday their goal is to protect more people from the virus as quickly as possible.

“With the new variants of COVID-19 being more transmissible, it is really important that we make sure that we have our vaccine campaign underway,” said Russell.

“We really have to make sure that our citizens in New Brunswick that are the most at-risk receive protection from the virus.”

Russell said delaying the second dose of vaccine carries some unknowns, but the option is being used more frequently across Canada and around the world.

She said the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine provides more than 90 per cent protection 14 days after the first dose.

While it is recommended that the second dose be given within 28 days, she said some jurisdictions are waiting as long as 90 days.

“Our goal will be to administer the second dose as soon as we can, but certainly within 90 days,” Russell said.

Russell said Public Health will stick to the recommended vaccine schedule for those deemed most at-risk.

“By offering some protection to those who may become seriously ill, we will reduce potential hospitalizations and keep our health care workers and facilities from being overwhelmed,” she said.

Health Minister Dorothy Shephard said they anticipate it will take until the end of March to offer the vaccine to everyone in the first phase, which includes residents and staff in long-term care facilities, health care workers with direct patient contact, adults in First Nation communities, and New Brunswickers 85 and older.

In April, the province plans to offer the first dose of vaccine to all New Brunswickers over the age of 70, starting with those aged 80 to 84. They will also offer the first dose to residents and staff of communal settings; pharmacists; dentists; first responders; home support workers for seniors; people with select complex medical conditions; long-term care volunteers and designated support persons; those 40 and over with three or more chronic conditions; and truckers, rotational workers and regular cross-border work commuters.

By June, Public Health plans to provide the second dose to people aged 70 and over and, based on the number of vaccines available, others who received the first dose. They will also begin to vaccinate additional groups, including anyone with two or more chronic health conditions; health care workers with indirect patient contact; school staff; and high school and post-secondary students aged 16 to 20.

Shephard said they expect vaccine shipments will increase significantly over the summer, allowing them to offer the vaccine to all New Brunswickers who have not yet received it between July and September. They also anticipate being able to provide a second dose to anyone who has not yet received one over the summer.

Meanwhile, the province announced four new confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, all in the Edmundston health region (Zone 4).

The area, which has been under lockdown for nearly four weeks, will join the rest of New Brunswick in the orange level of pandemic recovery at midnight Thursday night.

There are 111 known active cases of COVID-19 in the province, down from 118 cases on Wednesday. Five people are in the hospital, including one person in intensive care.