‘Omicron has been a tsunami’: 17M+ Canadians have had Omicron since December

Omicron was fast and furious in Canada, according to new analysis that shows a staggering number of people in this country have been infected with the variant since December.

Canada’s COVID-19 Immunity Task Force (CITF) looked at 21 studies based on blood samples donated to the Canadian Blood Services. It says before the spread of Omicron, seven per cent of Canadians had “infection-acquired antibodies to SARS-CoV-2.” That proportion rose by 45 per cent between December 2021 and May 2022.

“Omicron has been a tsunami,” said CITF Executive Director Dr. Tim Evans.

“New sublineages in the Omicron line have been continuing to spread since then, and the percentage of Canadians who have had a SARS-CoV-2 infection is now likely well above 50 per cent.”

The group says the number of people who have shown signs in their blood of a previous infection has “increased steeply” during the latest wave across all parts of Canada.

The analysis shows these number were relatively steady across central and western Canada, with 50 to 60 per cent of people showing evidence of a previous infection, while rates were slightly lower in Atlantic Canada. However, that region saw the “largest relative increase” in infection-acquired seroprevalence, hitting more than 35 per cent.

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When it comes to the age of those infected, the CITF found young adults made up the highest proportion of people who had been infected. By the last week of May, the group says 65 per cent of samples from people aged 17-24 had shown signs of previous infection.

Infection rates appeared to have decreased as the age groups increased.

“Through sheer numbers of infections, the Omicron variant exacted a substantial toll in services and lives disrupted, as well as hospitalizations and deaths. It clearly did not spare healthy young Canadians” said CITF co-chair Dr. Catherine Hankins.

She says there’s still much to learn about the longer-lasting impacts of COVID-19, including who gets long COVID and what those repercussions are.

Researchers are urging people to remain vigilant, despite the easing of public health restrictions, adding Omicron is still spreading.

“To minimize further disruptions to our lives, Canada has to track the situation closely as it evolves. We all need to respond in a timely way as this virus does not have a seasonal pattern like the other respiratory viruses we expect when everyone heads back to work or school in the autumn,” said Hankins.

Many jurisdictions across Canada no longer provide access to widespread testing. Many provinces have switched to providing people with rapid tests, while also changing public health guidelines amid evolving times.

Canadians are encouraged to get vaccinated — with boosters, if eligible — and the task force notes millions of people now have what it calls “hybrid immunity,” which is achieved through a combination of vaccination and infection. However, this doesn’t mean you are immune.

“Unfortunately, emerging evidence suggests that most of these individuals remain at risk of re-infection with viruses in the Omicron lineage,” explained CITF co-chair Dr. David Naylor.

“Newer vaccines may improve coverage against infection. However, we still have millions of adults who haven’t had a third shot and should get one to consolidate their protection against serious disease. More generally, all Canadians should stay alert for the latest public health guidance on COVID-19 vaccines and make sure their coverage is up to date for the fall season.”

The CITF gets an update from Canadian Blood Services every two weeks. The task force was created in April 2020 to help further research around COVID-19, while helping officials in their decision making.