Expert explainer: COVID-19 vaccines for kids

Health Canada has authorized the use of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in children 5 to 11 years of age. (FatCamera / iStock) By Western Communications November 19, 2021 Health Canada has approved the use of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 5-11, marking another major milestone in the country's pandemic response. Dr. Michelle Barton-Forbes, pediatric infectious diseases specialist and associate professor at Western's Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, explains what is known, so far, about the COVID-19 vaccine for kids based on data from the Pfizer clinical trial in children. The data was recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM). What is your message to parents who may be feeling hesitant about this vaccine for their children? With Health Canada's approval, parents can be encouraged by the knowledge that key authorities have completed extensive data review indicating the benefits of this vaccine in young children outweigh the risks. Regulatory bodies will also continue to monitor to ensure there are no safety concerns. Currently, 20 per cent of all of Canada's new COVID-19 cases are among children.