Waterloo Region ready to begin administering children’s doses to 5-11 year olds this Friday

Waterloo Region – On Friday, Waterloo Region will begin administering children’s doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to 5-11 year olds to protect them against the virus and the highly transmissible Delta variant. Starting on Tuesday, November 23, parents/guardians will be able to book an appointment for their children to get a vaccine at a regional vaccination clinic on the Region of Waterloo website: regionofwaterloo/GetaVaccine

When the Region opens its booking system for appointments on Tuesday, a sufficient number of appointments will be released for the next four weeks so children can receive their first dose of the vaccine before the holidays. There will also be opportunities for children in this age group to get the vaccine from some doctor’s offices (for their patients), and many participating pharmacies. Please check their websites as online booking is often available.

Today, the Province released its guidance for administering children’s doses of the Pfizer mRNA vaccine, and the Region of Waterloo has received notification that vaccine will arrive in two shipments in the coming days. Children in the 5-11 year old age group are eligible to receive their first dose now and a second dose in eight weeks.

To prioritize administering children’s doses for 5-11 year olds, from Saturday, November 27 through to Sunday, December 12, the three regional vaccination clinics (Cambridge Pinebush, The Boardwalk, Wellesley) will only be administering first and second doses of the vaccine.

The Cambridge Pinebush vaccination clinic will be ramping up its capacity on Saturday, December 11 and Sunday, December 12 to vaccinate approximately 3,000 children per day (6,000 doses altogether). When appointments for children’s doses open on Tuesday, parents and families have the option of booking their child’s appointment for the special “Every Dose Counts” event at the Cambridge Pinebush location.

Anyone eligible for a third dose is advised that many appointments are still available at regional vaccination clinics until this Friday. Third doses will not be available from Saturday November 27 through to Sunday, December 12 while the priority is administering first doses to children aged 5-11. Appointments for third doses will be available again beginning the week of Monday, December 13 at all regional vaccination clinics. Please be advised that some doctors’ office and pharmacies may also be prioritizing children’s doses for the next few weeks.

The Region of Waterloo and local school boards are working together to offer parents and families additional opportunities to get their children and family members vaccinated at schools in the community. The Region will announce the dates and locations of these evening and weekend school vaccination clinics in the coming days. All mobile vaccination clinics will be listed on the Region of Waterloo website as information becomes available: regionofwaterloo/ChildrenVaccine

Parents and families with questions and concerns about the safety of COVID-19 vaccines are encouraged to speak with their family doctor, pediatrician or other trusted health professional. Clinic staff are also able to support your child to have a positive vaccination experience.

There are also a number of helpful resources for parents and families on the Region of Waterloo website. These resources include answers to frequently asked questions about COVID-19 vaccines, videos featuring local healthcare professionals, and links to other resources: regionofwaterloo/ChildrenVaccine