About 6,000 doses of Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine were expected to arrive in the Northwest Territories Nov. 25.
“This is enough to provide a first dose to every child, age 5 to 11 and begin providing second doses where possible,” Premier Caroline Cochrane told reporters in a virtual news conference.
According to Julie Green, Health minister, parents and primary caregivers will be able to make appointments for children in Yellowknife for their doses at 5:30 p.m.
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“Clinics in other communities will be announced as we distribute vaccine across the territory,” said Green. “This deployment will begin right away. Our plan is to ensure that every eligible child in the territory has an opportunity to receive their first vaccine dose by Dec. 15.”
Green urges those who are parents or caregivers of children in the 5 to 11 age group to have them vaccinated.
Green had also confirmed, during a meeting at the Legislative Assembly on Nov. 23, that once 14 days had passed after they received their first shot, a child could be exempted from self-isolation after out-of-territory travel.
Vaccines coming into the schools will not be mandatory for those who do not wish to have their child vaccinated.
“Vaccinating children ages 5 through 11, will protect children and will improve well being in the NWT” said chief public health officer Dr. Kami Kandola. “As more and more young people are vaccinated, it does reduce the risk of school introduction and outbreaks.”
“Children protected by vaccines means they can stay in the classroom,” said Kandola.
Kandola, on top of this, also brought forward some of the potential dangers that unvaccinated children can face.
“Well the vast majority of Canadian children with Covid infection have mild illness,” said Kandola. “Some have experienced sever illness that required hospitalized. In extremely rare instances, a Covid-19 infection has resulted in death, even in children.”