Two more COVID deaths as spring booster rolled out

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Two more New Brunswickers have died of COVID-19 as the province rolls out a spring booster shot for those at a greater risk of severe illness from catching the virus.

Those two people were aged 65 and older and succumbed to the virus between March 3 and 9, according to Public Health’s weekly Respiratory Watch report. During that same period, 21 people were hospitalized with COVID-19, with one requiring intensive care. Sixteen of those people were aged 65 or older, while the remainder were between the ages of 45 and 64.

Meanwhile, there were no influenza deaths reported for the week of March 3 and 9, but a total of 23 people were hospitalized with the flu. None required intensive care. Almost half of these hospitalizations were for people 65 or older, according to the report released Tuesday.

No new lab-confirmed influenza outbreaks were reported between March 3 and 9, but the week saw a total of six COVID outbreaks, including two in nursing homes.

In a press release Monday, Public Health announced spring COVID shots will be available as of April 2 for all eligible New Brunswickers. Those who are eligible include people aged 65 or older, residents of nursing homes or adult residential facilities, and people who are immunocompromised and aged six months or older.

“COVID-19 is circulating in Canada and elsewhere. Getting vaccinated is an important way to help protect against the impacts of the virus,” Dr. Yves Léger, acting chief medical officer of health, said in the press release.

Spring vaccination appointments can be booked starting March 25 by calling Tele-Services at 1-833-437-1424 or by calling a participating pharmacy. The spring vaccination campaign will wrap up on June 15 “so as to not interfere with the fall COVID-19 vaccination campaign,” Public Health noted in the release.

New Brunswickers who are eligible for the spring booster are encouraged to wait at least six months after their last shot or COVID infection, “whichever is more recent,” before receiving the booster, according to the release.

Anyone who hasn’t completed their primary series of COVID vaccinations is being encouraged by Public Health to get vaccinated.

“If you have not been vaccinated as part of the current vaccination campaign that began Oct. 16, we encourage you to do so,” Léger said. “In following with recommendations from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization, the spring booster campaign will be focused on populations at increased risk of severe illness.”