Toronto launching info campaign for parents ahead of child COVID-19 vaccinations
Toronto Public Health is rolling out resources to help parents of young children prepare for the approval of COVID-19 shots.
The city's top doctor says clinics for children aged five to 11 are being considered at mass vaccination sites, community clinics and schools.
Dr. Eileen De Villa says she's hopeful vaccines will be approved for that age group in the coming weeks and the city is in planning mode with partners at pharmacies, hospitals, doctors' offices and schools.
The city is also launching a toolkit for parents and guardians to share reliable information about COVID-19 vaccination and address questions about the shots.
De Villa says the city will be running town halls and information sessions for parents in the coming weeks.
Her comments came days after Pfizer-BioNTech asked Health Canada to approve its COVID-19 vaccine for children between the ages of five and 11 -- a request the regulator has said it will prioritize reviewing.
Shots can be offered to that age group once the regulator gives the green light.
De Villa says vaccination of children is a well-established practice that has become "clouded" through social media during the pandemic.
"It is important that those with questions are able to get reliable answers to them to fully understand the protection that comes with vaccination," she said at a Wednesday news conference. "The vaccination of children aged five to 11 is safe, protective and necessary."
De Villa said while it's typically true that children don't experience COVID-19 illness the same way adults do, "it is not guaranteed," citing figures from Alberta that showed intensive care admissions among children had risen by 23 per cent since last month.
She also noted that infections among children can spread to others who are vulnerable to severe illness.
"If you have a child who will become eligible for vaccination in the coming weeks, please get them vaccinated,' she said.
"You are protecting them, you are protecting your family and yourself and you are protecting grandparents and elders who could become sick."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 20, 2021.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING New York appeals court overturns Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction from landmark #MeToo trial
New York’s highest court on Thursday overturned Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 rape conviction, finding the judge at the landmark #MeToo trial prejudiced the ex-movie mogul with improper rulings, including a decision to let women testify about allegations that weren’t part of the case.
BREAKING Monthly earnings rise, payroll employment falls: jobs report
The number of vacant jobs in Canada increased in February, while monthly payroll employment decreased in food services, manufacturing, and retail trade, among other sectors.
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Remains from a mother-daughter cold case were found nearly 24 years later, after a deathbed confession from the suspect
A West Virginia father is getting some sense of closure after authorities found the remains of his young daughter and her mother following a deathbed confession from the man believed to have fatally shot them nearly two decades ago.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
Metro Vancouver mayors call for serial killer Robert Pickton to be denied parole
A dozen mayors from around Metro Vancouver say federal Attorney General and Justice Minister Arif Virani should deny parole for notorious B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton, and reassess the parole and sentencing system for 'prolific offenders and mass murderers.'
What do weight loss drugs mean for a diet industry built on eating less and exercising more?
Recent injected drugs like Wegovy and its predecessor, the diabetes medication Ozempic, are reshaping the health and fitness industries.
2 military horses that broke free and ran loose across London are in serious condition
Two military horses that bolted and ran miles through the streets of London after being spooked by construction noise and tossing their riders were in a serious condition and required operations, a British government official said Thursday.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.