COVID shots for kids start Thursday in Hamilton
Ontario's health minister points to the high number of active COVID-19 cases among kids to show why they need to get vaccinated to protect against the aggressive Delta variant.
In Hamilton, one-quarter of active COVID cases are among those age 19 and younger - 47 out of 181. The age group with the highest number of active cases in Hamilton are those age 10 to 19.
Provincewide, the numbers are higher, with kids accounting for about one-third of active infections.
I think that speaks to the need to get children vaccinated as being as important as adults being vaccinated," said Health Minister Christine Elliott.
Parents can start booking COVID shots for Hamilton's 42,000 children aged five to 11 starting Tuesday at 8 a.m. Hamilton is using its own appointment system instead of the provincial tool at hamilton.ca/GetYourVaccine. The first kids' shots here - and across the province - are expected to be Thursday.
It's a great day that we're going to be able to start vaccinating five to 11 year olds," said Elliott. We should be able to start getting shots into little arms by about Thursday this week."
Elliott says at least 50 per cent of Ontario parents want to get their children vaccinated right away.
A further 30 per cent are looking for more information and can get their questions answered by phone from nurses at Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children by booking an appointment at sickkids.ca/vaccineconsult.
A lot of parents still have some concerns and still want more information," said Elliott. I think it's natural that parents would have questions and so we want to provide them with the resources they need."
McMaster Children's Hospital (MCH) is also participating in the consult service.
For families from our region requiring extra support, this includes referral to the MCH team for consultation and planning to support vaccination for the child," Hamilton Health Sciences said in a statement.
The children's Pfizer shot first arrived in Canada Sunday at Hamilton International Airport. Ontario received about 400,000 doses Monday with a further 600,000 expected Tuesday.
We're going to be shipping them immediately to public health units, primary care and then to pharmacies," said Elliott.
For the most part, kids won't be vaccinated at their elementary schools during the day, said Elliott. School immunization clinics provide a variety of other shots but have been determined not to be the best way to administer the COVID vaccines to young children.
Parents want to be with their child when they're vaccinated," said Elliott. That's not convenient for parents to come in during the school day if they're working so we'll have more evening appointments and weekend appointments when families can come in."
In addition, there may be some parents who might also not have had their first or second shot so we will have adult shots available for them as well."
The least immunized age group in Hamilton are those age 25 to 29 with fewer than 73 per cent fully vaccinated compared to nearly 83 per cent city-wide.
The only age groups left to have vaccination coverage below 80 per cent in Hamilton are 18 to 34 year olds. As a result, one-quarter of active cases in Hamilton are among those age 20 to 39.
It means that the least vaccinated - those age 0 to 39 - account for just over half of the city's active COVID cases at 93 out of 181.
In comparison there are five active cases among those age 80 and over. Hamilton's seniors have vaccination rates of 86 per cent to 91 per cent.
Younger age groups have been disproportionately affected during the pandemic's fourth wave.
Outbreaks have moved from seniors' homes to schools. Five of the nine ongoing outbreaks are in schools: Cairn Christian in Stoney Creek, Gordon Price Elementary on the west Mountain, Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Elementary on the central Mountain, Rehoboth Christian in Copetown and the largest is at St. Gabriel Catholic Elementary in Stoney Creek where 13 have tested positive.
In addition, one outbreak is among the Stoney Creek Sabres under age 13 B hockey team at Gateway Ice Centre.
Two outbreaks are at Stoney Creek companies: Circuit Logistics Inc. where four staff tested positive and Highland Packers where 14 have been infected.
Hamilton's largest outbreak is at St. Peter's Hospital with 18 cases on palliative care ward 3W.
The city has seen a slight rise in cases with the daily average increase at 22 on Nov. 20 compared to 13 on Nov. 13. However, Hamilton is well below the three highest rates in the province which include neighbouring Haldimand and Norfolk.
Joanna Frketich is a Hamilton-based reporter covering health for The Spectator. Reach her via email: jfrketich@thespec.com