School children to be Double Vaccinated by Summer End

School aged children are set to receive their second dose of the vaccine against COVID-19 before they return for the next school year according the Chief Medical Officer of the Eastern Ontario Health Unit.

Speaking on Thursday Dr. Paul Roumeliotis explained that a plan has been put in place to vaccinate children between the ages of 12 and 17 with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, though no date for their eligibility has be announced just yet.

"This will be done some time in June, likely the second to third week," said Dr. Roumeliotis. "We are still working with the Schools Boards [and] the Ministry to finalize those details. [The vaccinations] will be done at the mass immunization clinics where we will be setting up special family clinics for those age groups, and their families if their parents or caretakers have not already been vaccinated."

This news was announced as those aged 40 and older as well as the Second Group of residents who Cannot Work From Home can now book their vaccine appointments throughout Ontario and Dr. Roumeliotis believes that 60-65% of the eligible population in the EOHU will be vaccinated by the start of June. 

Another change in recommendations for AstraZeneca: 

Following another U-turn for the use of the Oxford-AstraZeneca residents who have already received their first dose are left wondering what will happen next.

Dr. Roumeliotis explained that although the EOHU has run out of it's AstraZeneca vaccine supply there are two options being discussed. "One would be that the second dose would be Pfizer of Moderna, an MRNA vaccine," explained the Chief Medical Officer.  And the other one would be that the second dose of AstraZeneca, because based on what we're seeing is that virtually most of the cases that occurred with the clotting were after the first dose, one in a million after the second dose in England. But again that is being looked at by Health Canada and NACI and we should be getting some recommendations."

With the increased vaccine supply coming into the country over the coming months the interval between doses is set to decrease and much like with first doses will start with the older more vulnerable residents.

"Once we have an idea of how many first doses, we will then be able to plan for second doses and if it happens to be earlier than the 4 months, and I think it will we will let people know. I am anxious to get it done and the sooner the better," he said.