With everyone 18 and older now eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine in the Southwestern Public Health region, they are putting the necessary plans in place to begin welcoming teens into vaccine clinics.
The province announced on Monday that it could be as early as the week of May 31st for youth aged 12 to 17.
Jaime Fletcher, Program Manager of the Southwestern Public Health COVID-19 Vaccination Task Force says preparation is needed as the age group has many considerations. This includes reviewing clinic hours and availability to give options that limit school disruptions for families.
Also, individuals aged 12-17 can only receive the Pfizer-BioNTech shot as it’s the only vaccine approved for that age group, limiting booking options.
Parents and caregivers can help prepare teens by talking to them about COVID-19 vaccines and sharing credible resources from Health Canada, Public Health Agency of Canada, and local public health units says SWPH. Also remind teens that they may not get an appointment right away due to high-demand, and that everyone still needs to follow public health measures after their first dose.
“We all need to temper our excitement to return to normal life with the realities that COVID-19 will be with us for a while longer,” adds Fletcher.
Currently, Southwestern Public Health does not offer appointments to anyone born before 2003, unless they are eligible for another reason, such as having an eligible health condition, or being an essential worker who cannot work from home.
For more on eligibility, click here.
