Infectious disease expert Dr. Zain Chagla talks travel, Stealth Omicron, fourth doses, mask mandate ending

Infectious disease specialist, Dr. Zain Chagla joined us with a COVID-19 update.

Canada will no longer require pre-arrival COVID-19 testing for vaccinated travellers as of April 1, according to a federal source.

Travellers must still show proof of at least two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine at the border and in order to board a plane, train or cruise ship.

Chagla has long maintained that he didn’t think the travel requirements made sense. He says he is happy about the upcoming changes because it makes travelling a lot easier.

“Travellers can feel the confidence of getting out of the country without having to go through a maze of tests to get back to Canada,” said Chagla. “It is a positive point and I really hope this is the last time we invoke the border as part of our pandemic control.”

There have been major spikes around the world with the Stealth Omicron variant. Chagla says the vaccines are still working against this new variant.

“-people who have had COVID seem to still be protected against this Stealth variant, particularly Omicron,” said Chagla. “I think we’re going to see some rise in transmission, the good thing is we are seeing places like the U.K., Denmark seeing record lows in terms of what’s been in intensive care unit, so that really may be that immunity holding up to at least prevent people from coming into hospital in droves like we saw back in January and February.”

Chagla says there is such a large layer of immunity in the population in Canada now compared to 2020. He says places like Hong Kong in China were never exposed to COVID-19 like Canada was, so they are now seeing unbridled growth.

A recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine suggests a fourth dose of Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines does not offer that much more protection against the virus.

Chagla says the most vulnerable population in the community should be considered when it comes to a fourth dose.

“Those over the age of 65, those with major immunosuppressive issues, those working in long-term care… they have suffered the brunt of this pandemic and if their is any way to give them extra protection, then so be it,” said Chagla. “But I do think there probably is a limit to these vaccines among younger individuals, who, with three doses of vaccine, put them at a incredible low risk of hospitalization.”