Quebec authorized the COVID-19 booster shot for young people aged 12-17 on Friday. Although the third dose was previously only available to those 18 and older, the health ministry updated the rules based on recommendations from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) and its Quebec counterpart, the CIQ.
Under the new rules, a third dose is available to all 12-17 year olds who wish to receive it, but it is most strongly recommended for people who present a higher risk of complications from COVID-19 .
The booster dose can only be administered three months or more after a second dose or a COVID-19 infection, and the government is recommending the use of the Pfizer vaccine over other options for this age group.
The 12-17 age category has among the highest percentages of vaccine coverage in the province, with 99 per cent of eligible individuals having received a first dose, and 93 per cent having received a second.
As of Sunday there were 1,758 people in hospital with Covid across the province, a decrease of 144 compared to the last update in The Record. Of that total, 114 people were in intensive care, a decrease of 10.
Weekend numbers for the Eastern Townships will not be available until Monday, but as of Friday’s update the number of hospitalizations linked to the virus in the region was stable at 85, with four in intensive care.
The Province as a whole reported 41 new deaths related to the virus over the weekend, for a total of 13,853 deaths since the start of the pandemic. As of Friday the total number of Covid-related deaths in the Townships had increased by one to 529.
