Past years’ hopes that COVID would become just another respiratory virus have been scuttled by the emergence of new variants and subvariants.
At the end of December 2021, B.C.’s provincial health officer was looking to 2022 as the year the province might see the end of the emergency phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.Henry said the pandemic remains a concern, with experts forecasting rising death tolls among the under-vaccinated with little natural immunity to the disease.
Past years’ hopes that SARS-CoV-2 would become just another respiratory virus have been scuttled by the emergence of new variants and subvariants, including the highly transmissible and vaccine-resistant Omicron.With much work being done on next-generation vaccines, she imagines a universal flu and universal COVID vaccine that would only be required periodically.
“My hope — the optimist in me — is that as we get through 2023 … we may only need to provide a booster once a year, or maybe less than that, or maybe just once a year for the highest risk.” The number of people infected by COVID has been getting smaller, Henry said. But the fact that infections continue to rise and fall serves as a reminder for people — especially those who are vulnerable to severe illness — to remain vigilant with vaccination, she said.
She encourages anyone who hasn’t received a bi-valent booster to get one. “That is of major importance.”“As we go through this next year, we’re going to have to still be flexible and adapt to what we see happening,” Henry said.>>> To comment on this article, write a letter to the editor: [email protected]
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