Canada could authorize vaccine for kids 5-11 in 'one to two weeks'
CTV
Health Canada says a decision on whether to authorize a COVID-19 vaccine for children will come 'in the next one to two weeks,' leaving open the possibility that some kids could be at least partially protected by Christmas.
The news comes as parts of Canada see an uptick in COVID-19 cases in the weeks leading up to the holiday season.
Canada's chief medical adviser Dr. Supriya Sharma said in a conference call with reporters Friday that the regulator is “actively continuing” its review of the Pfizer-BioNtech jab for children aged five to 11, which was authorized for use in the United States earlier this month.
Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada's chief medical officer, noted that the under-12 population - the only age group still ineligible for the vaccine - continues to have the highest incidence rates of COVID-19 across the country.
COVID-19 has typically shown to be mild in children since the pandemic began, but some kids have had serious illness. They can also spread the virus to others.