Loosening mandates, poor messaging slowing N.B. child vaccine rate, experts say
Aidan Cox | CBC News | Posted: February 17, 2022 10:00 AM | Last Updated: February 17, 2022
Just 58.7% of children 5 to 11 in N.B. have received first dose
Loosening pandemic restrictions and poor messaging could be contributing to a lag in the COVID-19 vaccination rate among New Brunswick's youngest eligible age group, experts say.
As New Brunswick heads to Level 1 of its COVID-19 winter plan this Saturday, more than a third of eligible children under the age of 12 still haven't received at least one dose of vaccine.
"We understand that Public Health and the government has to balance all of their priorities," said Jake Reid, executive director of the New Brunswick Pharmacist's Association.
"We do know, though, that there's a slowdown [in vaccination uptake] and it's coinciding with things opening up a little more, becoming a little less restrictive.
After a two-week quasi-lockdown under Level 3, the province moved to the less-restrictive Level 2 on Jan. 29.
Premier Blaine Higgs then announced last week the province would move to Level 1 this Saturday, no longer requiring people to keep a limited list of close contacts, and allowing restaurants and stores to operate at full capacity.
With the lifting of restrictions, Reid said some people might now be questioning whether it's still worth getting vaccinated.
"But we really still need to get everyone vaccinated because it encourages safety for everyone so that we don't transmit as much to the population, and so people don't get as sick," he said.
Improving messaging around benefits
In an email, Mark MacMillan, president of the New Brunswick Medical Society, said better communication is also needed to drive home the benefit of children getting vaccinated, and to combat the idea that it's unsafe for their health.
"Some children do experience serious symptoms and complications from COVID-19," MacMillan said.
"There is also a perception of enhanced vaccine risk with this group, but the reality is we have immunized millions of five to 11-year-olds and the vaccine has proven to be a very safe and effective means of avoiding hospitalization and serious outcomes."
MacMillan added that while New Brunswick's uptake is lowest in Atlantic Canada, sluggish rates in that age group is an issue across the country.
The province's single-dose vaccination rate for five to 11-year-olds as of Wednesday stood at 58.7 per cent, trailing behind Nova Scotia's, which was 67 per cent, Prince Edward Island's at 68 per cent, and Newfoundland and Labrador's at 80 per cent.
The two-dose rate for that age group in New Brunswick stands at 27.8 per cent.
Since vaccines became available to all New Brunswick adults last year, the province has used proof of vaccination requirements at places like restaurants and gyms as a tool to not only protect public health but also to encourage vaccine uptake.
Last fall, those same requirements were extended to children aged 12 and older once they became eligible for the vaccine. New rules also required that they be vaccinated to play sports and participate in extra-curricular activities at school.
Their vaccination rate now stands at 87.4 per cent for first doses, and 81.5 per cent for both.
Similar measures have yet to be seen for children aged five to 11, despite being eligible for their first doses for more than 11 weeks now. An eight-week waiting period is required before receiving a second dose.
Reid said vaccine requirements have shown to boost uptake, but stopped short of saying whether he thinks they should specifically be introduced for five to 11-year-olds.
We did see some success with [school vaccine clinics] before Christmas - Jake Reid, executive director of New Brunswick Pharmacist's Association
In an email to CBC News, Department of Health spokesperson Gail Harding said the department believes finding ways to optimize access to pediatric vaccination is the best way to encourage uptake.
"Discussions are ongoing with the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development to find ways to do so," she said.
Asked what incentives are currently in place to encourage uptake, Harding said the vaccine is "free of charge and helps to protect against symptoms, severe illness and community spread."
Role of school clinics
Reid said the pace of uptake among the youngest age group was at its fastest when eligibility first opened in late November.
That period also coincided with children still being in school, where vaccination clinics were being held up until schools closed for the holiday break.
"We did see some success with those before Christmas and we're looking to try to replicate some of those now to see if we can… reach some of the children in those age groups right at the schools," he said.
MacMillan also hinted at the need for additional school clinics in saying that more convenient access to the vaccine could help increase uptake.
"This could mean more evening and weekend clinics, school-based clinics, or other options that an analysis of the data shows could make it easier for parents to get their young children inoculated," he said.