Pediatric Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines have officially arrived in London, with doses starting to get into the arms of children between the ages of five and 11 starting Friday.
It was just last Friday that the pediatric Pfizer vaccine was approved by Health Canada for kids aged five to 11, and this Tuesday that appointments were opened up for that age group.
The dose for those aged five to 11 has a lower concentration of antigen, the part of the vaccine that increases the development of antibodies.
Since appointments were opened, the acting medical officer of health for the Middlesex London Health Unit reports more than 8,000 have been booked.
“This represents over 22 per cent of the population five to 11 in our region,” Dr. Alex Summers said.
Summers said the health unit has gone to a lot of effort to make sure the vaccine experience is as friendly and enjoyable as it can be for little ones.
“We have been working to make sure these clinics are places kids and families are going to want to come to,” Summers said.
To help kids feel less afraid, Summers said they will be welcomed by the vaccine superhero and that posters and stickers will be put up to guide families to colourful vaccination pods.
Televisions and distortion tools will as be on site to make kids feel more at ease.
Once they get vaccinated, Summers said kids will also get a colourful sticker for each vaccine dose.
“We are ready, we are excited, and tomorrow is a huge, awesome day for our health unit and our kids,” Summers said.
“We are getting there, it’s been a grind, but we have been at this for a really long time, but we are getting there.”
On Tuesday, the Middlesex London Health Unit is reporting 90 per cent of all eligible residents aged 12 and older have received at least one dose.
The 90 per cent applies to all of those living in the London and Middlesex region born in 2009 or earlier, with 87.2 per cent of that age group considered fully vaccinated, having received a second dose.
Those 11 and under account for more than 21 per cent of active cases, and have the second-largest percentage of cases per 100,000 compared with all other age groups.
In terms of vaccination rates, for those between the ages of 12 and 17, 83.8 per cent have at least one dose and 89.7 per cent are fully vaccinated.
Appointments for those 11 and under are not available yet, but when they are, people can find the information on the health unit’s website, where residents can also find information on pop-up clinics, mass vaccination clinics and pharmacies; guidance for anyone vaccinated outside of the province or country; transportation support for those in need; and more.
Anyone looking to be tested for COVID-19 can find information about the locations of testing sites on the health unit’s website.
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