Alberta Health Updates Guidance: mRNA COVID-19 Boosters Every 3 Months, Including 6-Month-Old Babies
This translates to approximately 320 covid shots over an average lifespan.
Alberta Health Services (AHS) in Alberta, Canada has updated its guidance on mRNA COVID-19 booster shots, now recommending a booster every three months starting from six months of age. This new directive translates to approximately 320 doses over an average lifespan.
Starting from April 15, 2024, specific high-risk groups in Alberta will be eligible for an additional dose, as highlighted on the AHS website. The health officials in Alberta emphasize the safety, effectiveness, and life-saving benefits of all vaccines, stating that the timing of COVID-19 booster shots in relation to other vaccines, such as flu shots, is not a cause for concern, even for children as young as six months old.
Critics of the updated guidance point out that children are generally at lower risk of severe outcomes from COVID-19 and question the necessity of frequent booster shots. The advice to administer booster shots every three months has sparked debate among healthcare professionals and the public regarding the potential risks versus benefits of such a regimen.
While AHS specifically recommends the additional booster for seniors, adults in close contact with seniors, healthcare workers, and individuals with underlying medical conditions or autoimmune disorders, the guidance extends to include First Nations people, members of marginalized communities, and pregnant women as priority groups for vaccination.