QUEEN’S PARK — With Health Canada expected to approve the COVID-19 vaccine for five to 11-year-olds soon, Ontario NDP Education critic Marit Stiles is again calling on the Doug Ford government to roll out a plan for inoculating younger children that counters misinformation and lets parents start registering their kids for shots now.
Stiles’ call comes after Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health signalled today that the immunization campaign for younger children will begin before the end of the month.
“We are just weeks away now from an approval for the COVID-19 vaccine for five to 11 year olds, and parents are still waiting to see a plan,” said Stiles. “The Science Table said we need a clear information campaign, school-based clinics and an equity-based strategy to reach at-risk communities – but we haven’t seen any of that from this government.”
In British Columbia, where parents have been able to pre-register their kids since early October, over 70,000 children were signed up for their shot as of last week.
“I am again urging this government to take the simple step of letting parents pre-register their kids for their COVID-19 vaccines,” said Stiles. “Let’s get moving now so we can get our kids the protection of immunization the second Health Canada approval comes.”