COVID vaccine appointments to open July 28 for Ontario children under 5 years old

The Ontario government says it will open up booking for COVID-19 vaccine appointments for children who are 6 months old to 5 years old next week.

Starting on Thursday, July 28 at 8 a.m., parents of the youngest children will be able to get them a pediatric COVID-19 vaccine.

Appointments can be made through the province’s vaccination portal, local public health units, participating pharmacies, primary care providers and paediatricians.

“The approval of a lower dose paediatric Moderna vaccine will give families the opportunity to provide an additional layer of protection against COVID-19 for the youngest members of their families,” said Ontario’s Minister of Health Sylvia Jones.

The Moderna Spikevax shot is the first vaccine approved for the nearly two million children under five in Canada.

These eligible children will get the pediatric Moderna COVID-19 vaccine — which is slightly modified at a lower dose of half the amount given to the next age group of aged 6 to 11 — in a two-dose series recommended at an interval of eight weeks apart between doses.

Get weekly health news

Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday.

Sign up for weekly health newsletter Sign Up

By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

Health Canada made the approval on July 14.

Currently, preparations are being made to deliver and distribute the pediatric COVID-19 vaccines across Ontario, the government said.

“Although most children who get infected have no symptoms or mild symptoms, some can become very sick and require hospitalization,” Ontario’s chief medical officer of health Dr. Kieran Moore said.

“The vaccine offered to children aged six months to under five years is a lower dose that is safe and effective at protecting this age group from COVID-19.”

As well, the government said teens aged 12 to 17 who are immunocompromised will also because eligible to schedule their second booster dose (fifth shot) if at least six months have passed since their first booster shot (fourth shot).

As of this week, there are more than 91 per cent of Ontarians aged 12 and over with two shots and 57 per cent having received a booster.