CALGARY (CityNews) – With Alberta starting to offer third doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to seniors living in long-term care homes and certain immunocompromised individuals, some are left wondering why this is happening before many in the world have received their first shot.
Nina Busuego was born with a heart condition that developed into a lung disease, which led to lung and heart transplants in 2019.
Busuego says she is thinking of getting the third dose this Friday, but amid the excitement, she’s asking if a third dose is ethical when people in other countries still haven’t even received their first shot.
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“I still have family in the Philippines and some of them are still waiting for their first dose. I think we’re just incredibly blessed and you know we’re lucky that we’re in a country that can provide us not just to be safe from the first two doses but a booster dose for those who need it,” she explained.
Busuego received both of her vaccinations but ever since Alberta loosened public health restrictions it’s been difficult for her to feel safe in public.
She does add that when she goes out she still sees people wearing masks and is thankful for it.
And now she’s even more thankful that she’s able to receive a booster jab.
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“I just called my transplant team a while ago and they said it does provide a bit more protection so they did tell me to go ahead and book it as soon as I can,” she explained.
In a July news conference, Dr. Deena Hinshaw said the second dose is critically important when it comes to the Delta variant and that they would monitor the evidence to see if a third dose was needed for certain groups.
On Monday, Health Minister Shandro said they have evidence that a third dose is beneficial for certain groups.
