First COVID-19 vaccines for children to arrive in Canada on Sunday
CBC
The first doses of COVID-19 vaccines for children are expected to arrive in Canada on Sunday, a major milestone in this country's vaccination effort.
The shots, developed by Pfizer-BioNTech, are meant for kids aged five to 11. The federal government and the pharmaceutical giant have agreed on an accelerated delivery of more than 2.9 million doses, scheduled to arrive in Canada by the end of the week.
The delivery comes just a few days after Health Canada authorized the vaccine for emergency use. Public Services and Procurement Minister Filomena Tassi announced the date for the first delivery on Friday, shortly after Health Canada approved the vaccine.
In an interview on Rosemary Barton Live that aired on Sunday, Pfizer Canada's vaccine lead Fabien Paquette said clinical trials had shown that the vaccine was almost 91 per cent effective at preventing COVID-19 for the targeted age group, and deliveries would be made swiftly across the country.
"Over 4,600 children have been part of this trial, with really nice success and of course great results," he told CBC chief political correspondent Rosemary Barton.
The pediatric vaccine produced by Pfizer uses a dosage a third of the size of those given to people 12 and older. There have been some other changes to this shot, including one that will allow it to stay at normal refrigeration temperatures for longer.
As of Nov. 19, 79 per cent of Canadians aged five and older are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to CBC's vaccination tracker.
While many health-care professionals welcome the opportunity to increase vaccination rates across the population, there is concern that even parents who are themselves vaccinated may be more hesitant to give it to their children.
Paquette said it was "normal" to have those kinds of concerns, but he urged parents to trust the science and review process.
"I would say for those parents, speak with health-care providers, take the time to speak with the nurse or immunizer that will provide the vaccine, talk to your pharmacist, your physician, go to credible sources where you can get additional information and the reassurance that this is a good option for your children," he said.
Stefanie Ventura, the parent of a seven-year-old, told Barton she originally was concerned about the vaccine because her son, Daniel, has epilepsy, but after speaking with experts, she was convinced that the benefits outweighed any risks.
"We spoke with his neurologist, his pediatrician and several other doctors and staff, and they were able to give us all the information," she said.
Ventura said the vaccine represented a "chance for our kids to get back a little bit of normalcy."
She said her family had taken many precautions to avoid getting sick during the pandemic, as illness had triggered seizures in the past.
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