Remarks for the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos Minister of Health

Speech

Health Update Press Conference

June 30 2022 | Ottawa, ON | Public Health Agency of Canada

Hello everyone,

I'm pleased to be here today with my colleague, Dr. Tam.

As we head into the Canada Day long weekend, it seems to me that our celebrations will shine a little brighter this year.

Our hard work and sacrifices have made a difference.

It is largely because of vaccination that we have now resumed a semblance of normal life.

Our collective efforts to get vaccinated and our observance of public health measures have helped reduce the impact of COVID-19 in our country.

In fact, a study published this week in the Canadian Medical Association Journal shows that Canada has done remarkably well throughout the pandemic compared with nine other peer countries (G10) in regard to vaccination rates and health outcomes

Our collective efforts and our successful two-dose vaccination process have saved tens of thousands of lives and prevented hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations.

All the same, it is clear that COVID-19 is still here, and will be with us for some time.

Continuing to protect ourselves and the most vulnerable must remain a priority for us all, which is why it is important for each of us to stay up to date in our vaccinations.

But what exactly do we mean by up-to-date vaccination?

Let me be very clear:

Up to date means you've received your last dose in the past 9 months.

If you've already received a first booster, that's great, and please see if you're eligible for a second or a third booster to remain up to date.

But my message today is specifically for those who haven't yet received their first booster.

The immunity conferred by a primary series of vaccines administered in 2021 has now waned.

While you might have gotten infected, risk is high you could get re-infected with all the downfall, including the risk of developing symptoms of long COVID.

As health experts and physicians will tell you, it's critical that you go get the shot that's waiting for you.

The scientific studies are clear: our protection from an initial two-dose vaccination decreases over time.

Our immunity level is constantly evolving, and is based on time and variants.

The COVID-19 virus is changing and Omicron has cruelly demonstrated that we will never be "fully vaccinated" against COVID.

Like the virus, our immunity also changes and Omicron showed us that two doses are not enough: we need to keep our vaccinations up to date.

Fortunately, receiving a first booster for COVID when it is recommended improves this protection.

We know now that up-to-date vaccination reduces the risk of transmission, the risk of infection, the risk of severe symptoms and the risk of developing long COVID.

This is why Canadians must stay up to date with their vaccinations.

Being up to date with your vaccinations means that you received your last dose within the last 9 months.

If you have already received your first booster, find out if and when you will be eligible for another dose.

Since April, Canada's National Advisory Committee on Immunization, NACI, has strongly recommended that all people 18 years of age and older get a first booster dose six months after their initial vaccines.

This applies even if you previously had COVID-19.

Keeping our vaccines up to date will provide us with important protection from the most severe impacts of COVID-19—protecting not only our health, but our health-care system, and also our economy.

We don't want to return to more restrictive public health measures and luckily, thanks to science, we have an amazing tool to avoid that: vaccination.

Vaccination provides significant protection against the most serious effects of COVID-19, which protects not only our health, but also our health-care system and our economy.

We all want to avoid the return of restrictive public health measures, and, thanks to science, we are extremely lucky to have a tool that will help us avoid these measures: vaccination!

I'll say it again: if you haven't received your booster following your primary series, now is the time to do it.

Preparing and working with the provinces and territories

Last week, I met with provincial and territorial Ministers of Health.

Together, we discussed the need to adopt a sustained and coordinated approach to encourage everyone in Canada to get the recommended vaccination doses in preparation for the fall.

Yesterday, the National Advisory Committee on Immunization released its interim planning guidance for a fall 2022 COVID vaccine booster program in Canada.

This is an important document, which will support the provinces and territories in their vaccination program planning. I thank NACI for its valuable work.

And just yesterday, the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) released its interim planning guidance for a fall 2022 COVID-19 vaccine booster program in Canada, which Dr. Tam will discuss in her remarks.

This important guidance will support provinces and territories in their vaccination program planning and I thank NACI for its valuable work.

To my counterparts across country, I want to reiterate that the Canadian government will continue to support your vaccination efforts.

To my counterparts across country, I want to reiterate that the Canadian government will continue to support your vaccination efforts.

Conclusion

As we have learned, reducing the impact of COVID-19 is essential to our health and well-being.

In addition, vaccination remains one of the best ways to protect ourselves against COVID-19 and its impacts, especially on our older citizens, our healthcare workers and non-COVID patients who are otherwise affected.

The more people whose vaccines are up to date, the more protected we are as a community and the less strain will be put on our healthcare workers.

If you haven't yet gotten the COVID-19 vaccines, please know it is not too late to get your primary series and a booster dose.

In Canada, we are lucky to have this extraordinary scientific tool available to us in our fight against the virus, so let's use it!

As we have learned, reducing the impact of COVID-19 is essential to our health and well-being. And vaccination remains one of the most effective ways to protect against COVID-19 and its impacts.

The more people who are up to date on their vaccines, the better protected we are as a community. And that means less strain on our healthcare workers.

If you have not received a COVID-19 vaccine yet, it is never too late to start your primary series, or get your booster dose.

As a country, we are privileged to have access to such an efficient and powerful scientific tool in our fight against the virus: let's use it!

Now, I'll turn things over to Canada's Chief Public Health Officer, Dr. Tam, who will give us more information on this subject.

Thank you.

Dr. Tam, over to you.

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