Children ages 5-11 vaccinations start Thursday

WINDSOR/ESSEX — Children 5 to 11 years of age are now eligible to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 (Comirnaty) vaccine in Canada.

Locally, appointment slots at the Devonshire Mall mass vaccination clinic are now available with the first appointments taking place Thursday, November 25.

According to Dr. Shanker Nesathurai, the region’s Medical Officer of Health, expanding access to the vaccine for this younger age group will help the community to take the next step in its battle against COVID-19.

“In the past month alone, Windsor-Essex County has had 96 school cohort dismissals and 136 infections in school-aged children,” said Dr. Nesathurai. “Vaccination for this 5-11 age group is an integral part of the strategy to reduce the burden of disease on the community and will directly impact the potential for students to remain in school for in-person learning, and further limit the opportunity for this virus to spread.”

Health Unit Chief Executive Officer, Nicole Dupuis, acknowledges that there may be some apprehension amongst parents in getting their children vaccinated and strongly encourages anyone who has questions to seek help from reliable sources, like the health unit’s website or a healthcare provider.

“With the rigorous testing and approval processes required, parents have nothing to worry about,” she said. “Any vaccine or medication has the potential for side-effects; however, serious side effects after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, such as allergic reactions, are extremely rare and can be treated.”

The health unit has added a new section to their website with further information and resources for young people and their parents to learn more about the vaccine, potential side effects, and a link to a free COVID-19 Vaccine Consult service from Sick Kids Hospital where parents can speak to a trained pediatric nurse in order to have their questions answered by a trusted professional.

Appointments are available now and can be booked by following the links on the health unit’s website at wechu.org or by calling 226-773-2200.

Children who are newly eligible must be accompanied by their custodial parent or guardian to receive a vaccine and will be required to present a health card or other form of identification.

All eligible groups are encouraged to contact participating pharmacies, healthcare providers, or to drop in at one of the community pop-up vaccination clinics to get their vaccine.