The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine has now been approved for kids aged 5-11.
It is expected that about 3 million doses for kids will be shipped to Canada. 112,000 of those will be coming to Saskatchewan.
Clinical trials showed that one week after the second dose, the vaccine was about 90.7 percent effective for those 5 to 11 years old.
The vaccine will be administered in doses one-third the size of those given to people 12 and older.
Chief Medical Adviser for Health Canada, Doctor Supriya Sharma, says this is another tool in the fight against COVID-19 that will allow children to safely return to activities they have missed in the last 20 months.
Sask Doctor Alex Wong tweeted that the NACI recommends that children within the age group of 5-11 not receive the COVID-19 vaccine within 14 days before or after receiving other vaccines. This is only to distinguish the side effects in different vaccines.
NACI recommends that COVID-19 vaccine for kids b/w 5-11 should NOT be given 14 days BEFORE or AFTER any other vaccine.
— Dr. Alexander Wong (@awong37) November 19, 2021
This is NOT b/c of any safety concerns, but rather to be able to distinguish SIDE EFFECTS between different vaccines. Expect flexibility in implementation.
The National Advisory Committee on Immunization is recommending two doses, with at least eight weeks between them.