The B.C. government last week announced that approximately 208,000 eligible infants and children between six months and four years of age in the province will soon be able to receive vaccine protection against COVID-19.
Following Health Canada's approval of the Moderna vaccine, and the National Advisory Committee on Immunization's (NACI) recommendation, regional health authorities will start offering the vaccine at clinics throughout the province on Aug. 2.
Parents or guardians seeking vaccinations for their eligible children under the age of five can register them in the provincial Get Vaccinated system now. Once registration is complete, parents or guardians will be invited to book a vaccination at a clinic in their community.
But just how many parents will have their children in that age range get immunized?
It might not be that high if the BC Centre for Disease Control’s (BCCDC) latest immunization numbers for children in the five to 11 age group is an indication.
According to the BCCDC’s numbers, as of July 11, the immunization rate for Delta kids five to 11 getting a first dose was 66 per cent.
That is compared to 96 per cent in the 12 to 17 age group and 97 per cent for Delta residents ages 18 to 49, and 95 per cent for residents 50 and over.
The vaccination rate for kids five to 11 getting a first dose varied by a wide range among Fraser Health communities with Burnaby leading the way at 70 per cent, while Surrey was just 55 per cent and Hope was at the bottom at 34 per cent.
As far as kids five to 11 getting a second dose in Fraser Health, Delta was at just 52 per cent, while Surrey and Abbotsford were 40 and 28 per cent respectively. Hope remained at the bottom at just 21 per cent.
The numbers were even lower for Interior and Northern Health communities.
The second dose numbers were higher in Vancouver Coastal Health compared to Fraser Health, however, Bella Coola Valley at 32 per cent and Powell River at 33 per cent trailed far behind in Vancouver Coastal Health.
The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is approved for children ages five-to-11. The Moderna vaccine is approved for children ages 6-to-11. Most children will receive two doses of the vaccine.
According to the BCCDC’s latest numbers released July 14, the overall number of COVID-19 cases in hospitals climbed to 426 as an upward trend continues.
According to the BC COVID-19 Modelling Group, the next Omicron wave has started in B.C. and across Canada and is being caused by a faster rate of spread by the BA.5 variant. The number of infections and severe cases leading to hospitalization are expected to rise through July. The height of the BA.5 wave and its impact are challenging to predict, says the Modelling Group.
