UofT COVID vax policy could boost uptake, but more needed to drive real increase: experts

COVID-19 vaccine could boost third-dose uptake among young adults, but it won’t drive a significant increase unless other schools follow suit, experts say.The University of Toronto announced last week that it was reinstating a vaccination requirement for those living in its residences and updating it to mandate at least one booster shot.

It also recommended all others on campus stay “up-to-date” on COVID-19 vaccinations.Dr. Fahad Razak, the scientific director of the Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table, said the policy could help boost uptake among younger adults, noting the university’s large student body and evidence about the effect of vaccine requirements.But he said there would likely be a greater impact on uptake if other universities and colleges implemented a similar policy.

U of T students required to have at least 1 COVID-19 booster dose to live in residence “There seems to be fairly robust evidence that when you require vaccination to be in a certain space, more people end up getting vaccinated because of that,” he said.“If more universities followed a similar policy, you would find, likely, an enhanced vaccine uptake of third doses, or potentially even other doses.”Third-dose uptake in the 18-29 age group is currently about 36 per cent nationally, which is lower than every other adult age group in Canada.

By comparison, roughly 86 per cent in that young adult cohort have two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.Dr. Susy Hota, medical director of infection prevention and control at the University Health Network in Toronto, said having post-secondary institutions “aligned” on vaccine policies would help boost third-dose uptake among young adults.“It’s never great when only one or two are doing something and others.