More than 14,000 Manitoba kids age 5-11 have 1st COVID-19 vaccine dose, another 14K booked
In-school COVID-19 vaccine clinics for children 5-11 begin this week
More than 14,000 kids have received their first doses one week after Manitoba started offering COVID-19 vaccines for children age five to 11 — and that should double in a short time, a provincial health official says.
There are approximately 125,000 children in that age group, so the total of 14,101 first doses represents 11.3 per cent of that population.
Another 14,000 have appointments booked, said Dr. Joss Reimer, medical lead of Manitoba's COVID-19 vaccine implementation task force.
As well, the total for those who have received the shot does not include all of the doses provided at pharmacies and doctor's clinics, so the actual numbers are likely much higher, Reimer said.
"We are seeing very good uptake. This is so encouraging," she said in a news conference on Wednesday. "We want to keep up the great momentum that's already underway."
The addition of the pediatric vaccine will have a significant impact on transmission of the virus in Manitoba, Reimer said.
"The five to 11 age group was making up an increasing proportion of all of our cases because they weren't vaccinated," she said.
For those getting ready to take their child for vaccination, Reimer emphasized the need for planning.
Some people might think it's better not to discuss vaccination ahead of time, so the child has less time to worry. But surprising them on vaccination day can actually damage trust and affect the child's future health-care decisions, Reimer said.
She suggests giving your child notice a day or two ahead of time so they feel prepared. She also suggested asking kids how they feel about getting vaccinated and inviting them to ask questions. That builds trust and a feeling of safety, while also valuing their concerns, she said.
"Affirm their feelings instead of trying to talk them out of being nervous or scared," she said.
WATCH | Dr. Reimer's top three things to tell your kids about the COVID-19 vaccine:
Facts are the best tools, she said. People should let their children know vaccinations are safe, the needle might pinch and their arm might feel sore afterwards, and that they may also feel mild flu-like symptoms and fatigue for a day or two.
She also suggests people encourage their child to bring something along for comfort or distraction, like a blanket or toy.
That's exactly how eight-year-old Kalence Berard prepared herself on Tuesday when she got her vaccine in Winnipeg.
After hugging a "baby Yoda" plush toy to help get her through, she described the experience as "just … a little tiny pressure. It doesn't hurt once you look away."
Big brother Chase, 10, said he was really nervous going to the appointment, but it was actually a breeze.
"When it went in I didn't really feel anything. It just felt like getting a Nerf gun hit to your arm, kind of," he said. "And now that I know, I know for my second vaccine I'm going to be fine."
In-school vaccine clinics
In-school vaccine clinics for children age five to 11 begin this week.
Schools with clinics will send home information about the vaccine and consent forms to parents and caregivers in advance. In some cases, the schools will also offer vaccine clinics outside of school hours that will be open to families and the community.
"We are so grateful to the schools and school divisions that are participating in this important outreach, which makes it easy for children to be protected against COVID-19," Reimer said.
As of Wednesday, 80.5 per cent of all eligible Manitobans age five and up have received at least one dose of the vaccine and 77.1 per cent have received two doses, the province said.
Manitoba's online vaccine dashboard currently only shows data for those age 12 and older but it will be updated in the coming days to include those age five and up, as well as the administration of third doses.
Since the pediatric campaign started, the World Health Organization has announced the discovery of a new variant of concern.
The B.1.1.529 variant, or omicron, detected in South Africa, has a series of mutations that have experts worried about the implications of its spread.
Omicron has been detected in Ottawa, Quebec, Alberta and British Columbia but Manitoba Chief Provincial Public Health Officer Dr. Brent Roussin said on Wednesday that there have been no reported cases yet in this province.
He urged people to follow the federal travel ban to control its spread.
Meanwhile, Manitoba's third-dose campaign continues for those 18 and older.
The booster is available to all adults a minimum of six months after their last dose, with limited exceptions.
"The third dose is important because we are seeing waning immunity over time an we need to ensure that everyone is fully protected through this fourth wave," said Reimer.
Third doses have been given to 44 per cent of eligible Manitobans — 55,501 people — so far. Those who are 18 and over, and had their second dose at least six months ago, are currently eligible.
At the moment, boosters are not being recommended for the 12-17 age group, said Reimer. Officials are still waiting for further information from studies in that age group.
However, the emergence of omicron might change all of that, she said.
"We really don't know yet how well the vaccine works against omicron … [but] we are not back to square one. Omicron is still the same coronavirus," she said.
"Our bodies are fantastic at creating complex immune responses to vaccines that can target the virus in many different ways. So even if we learn that some of the immune response doesn't work as well against omicron, we will still have good protection from other parts of our immune response.
"We need to wait to get more data before we know exactly how big the impact will be. But regardless of what we learn, the vaccine will help protect you."
Many Manitoba vaccine sites are offering walk-in and appointment-based vaccinations for COVID and seasonal flu. Eligible individuals can book their appointments online, or by calling 1-844-626-8222 (1-844-MAN-VACC).
The location of the closest vaccine site can be found on the Manitoba vaccine finder app. Hours and days of operation are available on the province's vaccine finder website.
WATCH | Full news conference on COVID-19 | Dec. 1, 2021:
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