Northeast health units call for more children to get vaccinated

Public health units in northeastern Ontario say they've had low COVID-19 vaccine uptake for children from the ages of five to 11.

In Sudbury and districts, around a third of children in that age group have received two vaccine doses, and just over half have gotten one dose, said Dr. Penny Sutcliffe, medical officer of health for Public Health Sudbury and Districts.

Medical offers of health in the Porcupine and North Bay and Parry Sound districts say their numbers have been similar.

"We're really looking at only 52 per cent for first doses and 28 per cent for second doses," said Dr. Lianne Catton, medical officer of health with the Porcupine Health Unit.

I think now the public perceives COVID as really low risk for serious illness in this age group​​​​​​.- Dr. Jim Chirico, medical officer of health, North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit

Dr. Jim Chirico, medical officer of health with the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit, said that for the most part, the public has "somewhat grown indifferent to COVID-19 in their communities."

"I think that we're seeing low uptake, and we know that parents are really working hard to make the best decisions for their kids," Chirico said.

"But I think now the public perceives COVID as really low risk for serious illness in this age group, and so many already have been infected with minimal consequences."

Chirico added that the booster shots are safe, and an effective way for children in that age group to get additional protection from COVID-19.

"The booster shots really have an excellent safety profile," he said.

"I mean they've given over 1.2 million doses of the vaccine so far to five to 11 year-olds, and only seven out of one million vaccinations were followed by a serious event."

Routine vaccinations

In addition to COVID-19 vaccines, medical officers of health said they also want to be sure children are up to date with their routine vaccinations for diseases like polio, measles, mumps and rubella.

Sutcliffe, of Public Health Sudbury and Districts, said they are behind on routine vaccinations due to the pandemic.

"There have been reduced opportunities for kids to be immunized either to their primary care practitioner or through public health and we have a backlog in our data entry," she said.

"We have entered I think approximately 2,000 backlog vaccination records over the last little while and we're catching up as quickly as we can."

Sutcliffe said routine vaccinations are important at preventing serious illness and outbreaks.

"They're effective, they're safe and we have had really excellent uptake of these vaccines in the past," she said.