Children in British Columbia between five and 11 years old can start getting shots of a pediatric COVID-19 vaccine on Monday.
Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said last week that about 350,000 children are eligible to receive the modified dose of the Health Canada-approved Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.
Health Canada approved the pediatric shot for use in Canada after an independent scientific review confirmed the first vaccine formulated for younger children is safe and effective.
Henry says the same vaccine has been administered to more than three million children in the United States and there have been no “safety signals” as a result.
She says the vaccine will help children and families safely return to activities that benefit physical and mental health.
Dr. Penny Ballem, the executive lead for B.C.’s vaccination drive, has said she expects the full children’s immunization effort, including second doses, to conclude by the end of January.
Officials said last week that invitations to book appointments will start going out Monday to families with children who have been registered, with a number of same-day appointments available.
Parents who have yet to register their children are encouraged to do so through the province’s Get Vaccinated portal.
Registration, booking system problems
But on Monday morning some B.C. parents vented their frustrations on social media about trying to get an appointment for their child.
Hey <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/bcpoli?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#bcpoli</a> what a mess around kids’ vaxx bookings this morning! Many people able to book by phone without their invite, while those of us who registered within the first HOUR of being able to still haven’t received an invite! What the heck?
—@LYNNEBOARDMAN
Some said they were still waiting for the province to send them the invitation they were expecting after registering.
Others said people who didn’t have an invitation seemed able to book by calling 1-833-838-2323 rather than going online.
B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix said Monday morning he understands people are anxious to get their children vaccinated as soon as possible, but to be patient and wait for their invitation to book.
“It’s going to come,” said Dix.
He said the province is pushing out invitations at a rate of about 8,000 an hour and, while there is bound to be frustration on day one, he said B.C.’s vaccination system has a proven track record of working well.
BC Parents <br><br>Have YOU or Anyone you know received a Vaccine invitation for your 5-11 year olds child??<br><br>I don’t know a single person that has <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/bcpoli?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#bcpoli</a> <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/covid19bc?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#covid19bc</a>
—@CdnSkyDiva
PCR tests for travellers from southern Africa
As vaccination for children gets underway, concern continues to grow over the new omicron variant.
Dix says there are currently just over 200 people in the province who have returned from or passed through Africa in the recent weeks.
“All of those people will be receiving PCR tests so we can determine where we sit in British Columbia,” Dix said on the CBC’s The Early Edition.
“All of the actions that we would take if omicron had already arrived … we’re already taking.”
Omicron was first identified in South Africa on Wednesday, but it has also been found in Europe, Australia and China.
On Sunday two cases of the omicron variant were confirmed in Ottawa, both of which were reported in individuals who recent travelled from Nigeria.
Henry says the Public Health Agency of Canada has been working closely with the Canada Border Services Agency to identify people who have returned from the affected countries.
“The ArriveCan app has a list of where people have been. There’s a little over 200 people in British Columbia and over the weekend. We’ve been in contact with all of them,” Henry said on the CBC’s Daybreak South.
