Vaccine bookings for Ontario kids ages 5-11 open Tuesday

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Ontario’s COVID-19 vaccine portal will begin accepting appointments for children aged five to 11 at 8 a.m. Tuesday and the first shots could go into arms as early as Thursday, Health Minister Christine Elliott says.

“We know that at least 50% of all the parents of children in this age group are ready to have their child vaccinated right away,” Elliott said Monday. “About 30% want to have more information and that’s why I think it’s really important that we have these information channels available through SickKids so they can ask whatever questions they need to ask. Some may also call their pediatrician or family doctor as well because we know that parents want to be careful, cautious with their children.”

Kids who were born in 2016 or later are eligible for the Pfizer vaccine, given in two doses spaced eight weeks apart, each dose one-third that of a regular adult shot.

If a child has turned 12-years-old when the second jab is to be administered, then a full adult dose is given,

“Unfortunately, we know right now that a third of the new cases of COVID are in school-aged children,” Elliott said. “So I think that speaks to the need to get children vaccinated … as important as adults being vaccinated.”

Parents who have questions about the vaccination of their young children can call the Provincial Vaccine Centre at 1-833-943-3900 or make an appointment to speak to an expert at sickkids.ca/vaccineconsult, Elliott said.

The minister said the province is receiving large shipments of the children’s version of the vaccine over two days starting Monday, and will immediately send the doses out to primary care providers and pharmacies.

“We certainly know that parents of the younger children — five- to seven-year-olds — would prefer to have their child vaccinated at their pediatrician’s office or primary care family doctor,” Elliott said. “But for older children, they’re okay if they’re vaccinated in pharmacies and mass vaccination clinics.”

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Liberal MPP John Fraser said legislation guaranteeing paid time off is vaguely worded and ending soon, and he called on the government has to make it crystal clear that parents can have time off work to be with their young children when they’re vaccinated against COVID-19.

“We allow people four or five hours off for an election,” Fraser said. “I think getting kids vaccinated has the same kind of value.”

Ontario has administered over 22.8 million doses of a COVID-19 vaccine and just over 11.2 million people are fully vaccinated.

The province reported 627 new cases Monday, 341 in individuals who had not been vaccinated or had an unknown vaccination status and 286 in the fully vaccinated.

aartuso@postmedia.com