Thousands of Maritime children prepare for COVID-19 vaccine
Thousands of children aged five to 11-years-old across the Maritimes are preparing to get their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine.
As of Saturday, more than ten thousand appointments had been booked in New Brunswick. In Nova Scotia, parents were quick to jump online when bookings opened Friday.
Judy Harvey was one of them. Her son just turned 12 and will be vaccinated Dec. 9.
“I've always wanted it since last year but I couldn't get it because I was 11 and yeah I think it's going to be really good,” her son Darius said.
Twins Rori and Georgia Gillis are also counting down the days.
Their mother, Holly Gillis, is the director of public health with Nova Scotia Public Health. The 11-year-old girls understand the disruptions COVID-19 has caused by cancelling classes at school and sports.
Georgia knows why she wants the vaccine.
“So I can do my sports and go out to eat,” she said.
“More protected and safe,” her twin sister Rori said.
IWK Pediatric Infectious Disease Specialist Dr. Jeannette Comeau says no corners have been cut in approving these vaccines.
Comeau said the data provided by Pfizer evaluated more than 3000 children who received the vaccine, evaluating its efficacy and its side effects.
She says side effects may include a sore arm or a fever but if that happens, she recommends treating the child with medication.
“In the clinical trials there were actually no cases of myocarditis or pericarditis in the children,” she said, adding the extremely rare side effect is much more likely to occur if someone contracts COVID-19.
“We’re watching very closely.”
COVID-19 vaccines for children are a third of the dose given to adolescents and adults and have now been widely administered in the United States after it was approved about a month ago.
“We continue to have an active surveillance program even after we’ve approved vaccines so we’re continuing to monitor, continuing to make sure the safety profile is as it looked. So I’m very confident in these vaccines,” she said.
For anyone who is nervous about getting vaccines - a feeling she says is very normal, Dr. Comeau encourages people looking at some of the resources created by the IWK.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Too young to have breast cancer': Rates among young Canadian women rising
Breast cancer rates are rising in Canada among women in their 20s, 30s and 40s, according to research by the University of Ottawa (uOttawa).
Minister 'outraged' after AFN national chief's headdress taken from Air Canada cabin
The federal minister of Crown-Indigenous relations is calling on Air Canada to 'make things right' with the national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, who said her headdress was removed from an airplane cabin during a flight this week.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Canada recognizes housing as a human right. Few provinces have followed suit
As more Canadians find themselves struggling to afford or find housing, the country's smallest province is the only one that can point to legislation recognizing housing as a human right.
'Violation': CSIS had officer investigated after she reported a superior raped her
A CSIS officer's allegations that she was raped repeatedly by a superior in agency vehicles set off a harassment inquiry, but also triggered an investigation into her that concluded the alleged attacks were a “misuse” of agency vehicles by the woman.
What to know about avian influenza in dairy cows and the risk to humans
Why is H5N1, or bird flu, a concern, how does it spread, and is there a vaccine? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about avian influenza.
Pro-plastic lobbyist presence at UN talks is 'troubling,' say advocates
Environmentalist groups are sounding the alarm about a steep increase in the number of pro-plastic lobbyists at the UN pollution talks taking place this week.