Peterborough Public Health will open appointment booking on Tuesday for youth ages five to 11 to receive the pediatric COVID-19 vaccine.
Bookings open at 8:30 a.m. Clinics will officially begin on Nov. 29 and will offer the Pfizer-BioNTech Comirnaty vaccine approved late last week by Health Canada. To be eligible, a child must be born between 2010 and 2016.
The “family-friendly” clinics in Peterborough will be held at the Healthy Planet Arena Mondays through Thursdays and on Saturdays. In the coming weeks, clinics will also be held in schools throughout the city and Peterborough County.
The health unit says approximately 9,000 youth in its jurisdiction are eligible for the vaccine. The health unit serves Peterborough, Peterborough County, Curve Lake First Nation and Hiawatha First Nation.
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Residents over the age of 12 will not be able to receive a COVID-19 vaccine at these designated pediatric clinics.
“This is an exciting day,” stated Dr. Ian Gemmill, acting medical officer of health. “Vaccinating young residents is another huge step in protecting our community against COVID19. Health Canada’s approval means that the vaccine is safe, effective and high-quality, and will ensure that these children also are protected from severe illness.”
Bookings for the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine can be made online or by calling the provincial vaccine booking call centre at 1-833-943-3900.
The health unit is reminding parents and caregivers to review credible information about the COVID-19 vaccine and to speak with a health-care provider if they have any questions about their child’s health and the vaccine. Free health-care provider consultations are available for residents who would like them.
For additional information about the youth COVID-19 vaccine, the health unit encourages people to visit its youth and COVID19 vaccine webpage.