Respiratory infections: A new vaccination campaign is being prepared in Quebec

Although the exact date and exact form this campaign will take is not known at this time, the Department of Health and Social Services (MSSS) says it is a “fall” campaign in order to protect against respiratory infections such as COVID-19, seasonal flu and pneumococcal infection.

“Information regarding this campaign which is in the pipeline will be sent in due course, as soon as possible,” MSSS’s Frances Martel specified.

COVID is on the rise across the country

New data from the Public Health Agency of Canada It shows that COVID-19 cases are on the rise in the country.

On its website, the federal agency indicated that it had observed a fluctuation in some indicators related to COVID-19, after a long period of gradual decline.

This could be a harbinger of recovery, though overall COVID-19 activity remains low to moderate in provinces and territories across the country.

McMaster University immunologist Don Bowdish told The Canadian Press that the XBB family, which hails from Omicrons, currently dominates Canada.

This family includes the EG.5 (or Eris) variant, which is expected to become the mainstream variant in Canada in the coming weeks, she says.

Ms Bowdish added that the EG.5 variant appears to be more contagious than the previous sub-variants, but there is currently no evidence that it causes more severe disease in healthy people.

She says the COVID-19 vaccines, due this fall, should effectively fight the virus.

Last July, the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) advised that Canadians receive another booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine in the fall if at least six months have passed since the last dose or since contracting the virus.

Sub variants

The Public Health Agency of Canada said that XBB sub-variants of the Omicron variant accounted for 99% of COVID-19 cases during the week of July 16.

McMaster University immunologist Don Bodish noted that the XBB family, which hails from Omicrons, currently dominates in Canada.

This family includes the EG.5 sub, which is expected to become the dominant variant in Canada in the coming weeks, she says.

Ms Bowdish added that the EG.5 variant appears to be more contagious than the previous sub-variants, but there is currently no evidence that it causes more severe disease in healthy people.

Ms. McGeer and Ms. Bowdish noted that the increase in the number of COVID-19 cases will particularly affect the elderly and those who are immunocompromised.

COVID-19 vaccines due this fall should effectively fight the virus, says Dr. McGeer.

Given that updated COVID-19 vaccines expected this fall have been developed to target the XBB family of sub-variants, they will likely have “very high efficacy in preventing severe infection, but also at least temporarily reducing the risk of developing symptomatic disease,” Bowdish said. .

In addition to getting vaccinated once a vaccine becomes available, public health agencies across the country continue to advise staying home when feeling sick as a precaution against the spread of COVID-19.

Mask requirements across Canada have been largely lifted, but remain in effect in patient care areas of many hospitals.

With information from The Canadian Press