Second doses of COVID-19 vaccine for eligible Burnaby children aged 5-11 are rising.
According to the BC Centre for Disease Control's (BCCDC) Vaccine Progress by Local Health Area, 21% of children in the age group of 5-11 and eligible in Burnaby have received a second dose against the infection.
Burnaby is tied for the second-highest rate in Fraser Health with South Surrey/White Rock, both only behind New Westminster (22%).
Second dose vaccination rates in Fraser Health for eligible children aged 5-11 as of Feb. 15, 2022 are as follows:
- New Westminster - 22%
- South Surrey/White Rock - 21%
- Burnaby - 21%
- Tri-Cities - 18%
- Delta - 18%
- Chilliwack - 15%
- Maple Ridge/Pitt Meadows - 13%
- Langley - 12%
- Surrey - 10%
- Mission - 10%
- Agassiz/Harrison - 10%
- Abbotsford - 10%
- Hope - 6%
Dr. Bonnie Henry warns about 'long COVID' in children
At the province's Feb. 15 COVID-19 briefing, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry urged families to ensure their five-to-11-year-old children are vaccinated.
The 5-11 vaccine started rolling out Nov. 29 for first doses and Jan. 24 for second doses, but take-up hasn't been as high as health officials wanted. As of Feb. 15, 55% of children in B.C. had their first dose and 17% had their second dose.
"This is not an innocuous virus," Henry said.
She warned about the unknowns surrounding long COVID in children.
“We still don’t have a lot of insight into the long-term impacts on younger children from infection, even though it does, thankfully, seem to be relatively mild in younger kids,” Henry said. “We still don’t have a good understanding of children and longer-term impacts of this virus and infections in children, so that’s an important thing we’re still trying to get information about. We’ll need to monitor this over the long haul.”
Henry urged any parents who are still hesitating about getting their children vaccinated to talk to a health-care professional about the benefits and safety of the pediatric vaccine.
“It is important. We do know that vaccination is safe in that age group. The pediatric formulation is working well,” she said.
Vaccination is not yet available for children under five years old.
How to get your child vaccinated in B.C.
In order to be vaccinated, five-to-11-year-olds must first be registered in B.C.'s Get Vaccinated system, after which time an invitation will be sent (by text or email) to book an appointment.
You can find all the information online at B.C.'s pediatric vaccine page, or call the central vaccination line at 1-833-838-2323.
- with files from Julie MacLellan, New West Record
