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Strong demand for COVID-19 vaccines for kids 12 to 17, Montreal health unit says

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Strong demand for COVID-19 vaccines for kids 12 to 17, Montreal health unit says
WATCH: Strong demand for COVID-19 vaccines for kids 12 to 17, Montreal health unit says – May 23, 2021

An immunization centre in Montreal that opened to teens over the weekend had to order more Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines on Sunday after experiencing “exceptional demand” from the 12 to 17 age group.

Carl Theriault of the Integrated Health and Social Services University Network for West-Central Montreal said that while appointment booking for youth aged 12 and up formally starts on Tuesday, officials at the walk-in clinic at Bill-Durnam arena decided to begin accepting teens over the weekend.

READ MORE: Quebec records under 500 new COVID-19 cases as vaccinations top 4.9 million

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He said the word quickly spread, resulting in a Sunday morning lineup that stretched around the block. Most of the demand appeared to be coming from young people and their families, he added.

“There were a lot of people, it spread a lot on social media,” he said.

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Theriault said the clinic ran out of doses by 9 a.m. but has ordered 500 extra for both Sunday and Monday.

By 1:45 p.m., even those extra doses had all been distributed, the health authority said in an update. The clinic reopens for appointments on Monday with extra doses available, it added.

Meanwhile, the number of new COVID-19 cases in Quebec dipped below the 500 mark on Sunday for the first time since September, with 477 new infections.

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