Interior Health (IH) clinics are now scheduled for children between the ages of six months and four years old with a COVID-19 vaccine specifically formulated for this age group.
All people over the age of six months can now receive protection against the COVID-19 virus.
“Vaccination against COVID-19 is still the best way to reduce the risk of getting really sick and needing to be hospitalized due to COVID-19,” said Dr. Carol Fenton, medical health officer with IH. “While children are at lower risk of severe disease from COVID-19 compared to adults, they can still get very sick. The vaccine is safe and effective in preventing serious illness from COVID-19.”
Parents and caregivers are encouraged to register their children now in the provincial system at getvaccinated.gov.bc.ca. Once registration is complete, parents will be invited to book an appointment at their local community clinic. Parents can also register children younger than six months, so they can be invited to book an appointment once the child becomes eligible for the vaccine.
Appointments are necessary for these vaccines and will be held in child-friendly local immunization clinics.
Pediatric COVID-19 vaccines are not available in pharmacies.
Vaccination helps children and families get back to many important activities that positively benefit children’s physical and mental health. The vaccine also reduces the risk of transmission to children’s close contacts, who may be at higher risk of severe illness.
For more information about COVID-19 vaccines for children, visit interiorhealth.ca.
