Canada’s National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) recommended booster doses of COVID-19 vaccines for immunocompromised children – but with the first doses only approved late last year for the age group of five to 11 and a recommended eight weeks between doses, is the propulsion deployment. another while off.
In the Maritimes, rolling out the equal first and second doses of pediatric vaccine was an unequal attempt.
New Brunswick was eligible for the age group of five to 11 on November 23 last year and distributed 30,000 first doses to children in the nine weeks since then for a first dose of 55.3 percent within the group.
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Across the Confederate bridge, PEI came into consideration three days later and has already given first doses to 64 percent of five- to 11-year-old islanders.
Neighboring Nova Scotia reached 66 percent on Wednesday and that allowed for the age group on December 2, more than a week after New Brunswick.
All three were left in the dust by Newfoundland and Labrador, where 77.65 percent of children had their first dose. The province opened the same day as PEI appointments for the age group
St. John’s-based epidemiologist Susanne Gulliver says accessibility was key in her home province’s deployment.
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“We offered first classes in schools for these kids, so it was easy for parents,” she says. “You do not have to take time off work, you do not have to try to get an appointment.
This province leads the country in the category.
New Brunswick did not make the top five, but tried to increase its figures this week.
Asked on Wednesday whether the province could change its strategy to better target the younger groups, Health Minister Dorothy Shephard said an expected COVID-19 briefing later this week would contain the answers.
“There will be more talk about it later this week,” she said.
Shephard said she expects the same news conference to address NACI’s latest recommendation.
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