Public health officials encouraging older Ottawa residents to get updated COVID vaccine

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While some consider COVID-19 to be in the rear view mirror, it continues to cause severe illness, even death, in some Ottawa seniors. That is the population — along with others considered high risk — who are being urged to get vaccinated now before cases begin to increase again.

Some 130,000 Ottawa seniors, or 70 per cent of older adults in the city, haven’t received COVID-19 vaccines in the past six months. That makes them eligible for a COVID-19 as part of a spring vaccination campaign aimed at the most vulnerable.

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Dr. Trevor Arnason, Ottawa Public Health’s newly appointed deputy medical officer of health, says he is concerned that cases of COVID-19 will increase in Ottawa in the coming weeks, a pattern seen in summers since the beginning of the pandemic in 2020. That puts seniors and other vulnerable residents at risk for severe outcomes, and especially those who have not had recent vaccines.

“It is hard to overstate how much the older adult population is affected differently by COVID-19,” Arnason said.

After a long lull, Ontario wastewater readings are beginning to increase slightly, suggesting COVID-19 is circulating in the province and case numbers could rise. Some countries in Europe and elsewhere are seeing steeper spikes in infections.

Even during this spring’s lull in COVID-19 cases, some people continued to be hospitalized with complications from infections, with about 85 per cent of them being 60 or older. Some infections have resulted in deaths.

“We are still seeing lots of older adults who end up in hospital, and there are still deaths,” Arnason said.

Since the beginning of 2024, 46 Ottawa residents have died as a result of COVID-19 infections. There have been 2,018 COVID-19 cases since January.

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Research has shown that the impact of COVID-19 on the elderly can be significantly more severe than seasonal influenza, which can also cause severe illness among older adults.

The spring COVID-19 vaccine campaign is not open to the general public, but to people over 65, those who are immune compromised and people over 55 who are Indigenous, as well as their family members.

Arnason said people in vulnerable groups who did not get vaccinated in the fall of 2023 were of particular concern. Both last fall’s and this spring’s vaccines are better targeted to current COVID-19 variants circulating than earlier vaccines were.

Arnason acknowledged it could be difficult to get the message out that COVID-19 continued to pose a threat when cases had been low for months and many people had moved on. “It can be hard when the general public is saying this is in the rear-view mirror.”

But he said many older people recognized the increased risk for their age group and would take preventative measures, including getting vaccinated.

Between April 1 and May 5, 4,918 doses of COVID-19 vaccines were administered to adults 65 and over in Ottawa.

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People who don’t qualify for vaccination this spring should also be aware that COVID-19 is still present in the community, he said, and work to stop its spread by staying home when sick and by taking other precautions, including masking.

There is likely to be another vaccine available in the fall for the general population.

Meanwhile, for those who are eligible, Arnason said: “Now is the time to get vaccinated. We could see a rise over the summer months.”

Vaccines are available at pharmacies and some neighbourhood health and wellness hubs. More information is available online at ottawapublichealth.ca.

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