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Bookings for the children's COVID-19 vaccine begin Tuesday morning in London
CBC
Parents in the London area can begin booking vaccination appointments for children aged 5 to 11 beginning Tuesday at 8 a.m., according to the Middlesex-London Health Unit.
The move follows Health Canada's decision on Friday to approve the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for children.
To book an appointment:
The provincial online portal will also begin accepting bookings on Tuesday.
Children born January 1, 2016 and December 31, 2010 are eligible to receive the pediatric vaccine.
The expansion of vaccine eligibility to those who will be turning five before the end of the year, up to the age of 11, comes eight months after the health unit began accepting appointments for those 12 and older.
"We have been planning this rollout for weeks, creating a welcoming environment for children who come to get vaccinated at the Agriplex or in Mount Brydges and developing resources that we hope will answer many of the questions parents have," said Dr. Alex Summers, acting Medical Officer of Health for Middlesex-London.
The first vaccination appointments for young children are expected to take place before the end of the week.
The health unit has taken several steps to help create a child-friendly environment at its clinics at the Western Fair District Agriplex and at the Caradoc Community Centre in Mount Brydges, including brightly-coloured banners, physical distancing stickers on the floor, "stress stars" that a child can squeeze, and family pods where will be vaccinated.