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Rashmi Aggarwal is a mom of two. Her six-year old son had switched to online learning for over a year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
But this September, the Vista Hills resident wanted him to participate in in-person classes again. “I see he was missing school, socializing, playing with his friends, so this time I really wanted him to go to school.”
Going back to school came with the fear of her son contracting the virus especially since the vaccine had not been approved for children yet. But a solution to her worry would soon come.
On Nov. 19, Health Canada announced the approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for children between five and 11-years-old, and the Region of Waterloo Public Health began administrating vaccines for kids on Nov. 26.
“Definitely, it’s a relief that now kids can be vaccinated so they are more protected,” said Aggarwal, but she wants to wait a bit before her son receives the vaccine.
“As a mother, how I feel is I just want to wait a month or two and see how it goes. Definitely, I want to get him vaccinated.”
No one in their home ever came down with the virus. She and her husband got vaccinated early enough to protect their 18-month-old daughter who has a congenital heart disease.
Aggarwal is one of many Canadian parents who intend on vaccinating their children but are worried about the side effects.
The City of Waterloo hosted a Q and A session on Dec. 2 where Kelly Grindrod, associate professor at the University of Waterloo School of Pharmacy, made a presentation on the importance of children being vaccinated.
According to a survey Grindrod shared, two-thirds of Canadian parents or guardians said they intended to vaccinate their child once the vaccine becomes available. Sixteen per cent were unsure and 19 per cent had no intention of doing it.
Grindrod addressed some of the parents’ concerns about the side effects of the vaccine.
She said the National Advisory Committee on Immunization advised that kids be given the vaccine at an eight-week interval between the first and second doses. “Because those two doses a bit further apart, provides stronger and longer lasting immunity,” she said.
In Canada, second doses should be due for administering around mid to late January.
Grindrod said doing this may also lower the risk of myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscles.
The doctor explained that a study was done from March till October 2021 before the vaccine became approved. It was a randomized placebo controlled trial of 4,500 children between the ages of five to 11.
Three thousand of them were given the vaccine and 1,500 were given the placebo (saltwater vaccine.) The kids were given two doses of 10 μg each, three weeks apart.
Grindrod siad the kids who were given the vaccine had less COVID than those who were given the placebo.
Grindrod explained that COVID-19 vaccines lower the risk of getting infected, infecting others and complications. She advised that children get vaccinated so that they can go back to being kids again.
As of the time of writing, the Waterloo Region had vaccinated 83.11 per cent of eligible residents who are age five and older with the first dose, 79.34 per cent with the second dose.
As of Dec. 2, 8,613 doses had been administered to children five to 11 years old.
To book an appointment for your child, visit the Region of Waterloo website: Get a Vaccine – Region of Waterloo
Grindrod said for parents whose kids are nervous about getting needles, they should use the CARD system to have a positive vaccination experience. Comfort, Ask, Relax and Distract. She also advised parents to apply numbing patches to the upper arm prior to vaccination.
STORY BEHIND THE STORY: Since the vaccine approval for kids, we wanted to speak to parents to find out how they are feeling about their children getting vaccinated.
