Ontario parents expressed excitement and relief Thursday as the province opened reservations for a COVID-19 vaccine for infants and preschoolers, with some getting the shots later in the day.
Appointments for children aged six months to under five were available through the province’s online booking portal, public health units using their own booking systems, certain pharmacies and some primary care providers.
Sapphire Miller was able to arrange appointments for her two sons, ages 15 months and four years, for Thursday afternoon.
She wasn’t able to get the appointments back to back — the only options available were a few hours at a clinic about 15 minutes from her home in London, Ontario — but Miller said she was happy and relieved nonetheless.
“It’s been a long time coming,” she said in an interview. “I’m very happy to give the children extra protection.”
Shawna Rothgeb-Bird of Ottawa said she also saw some available appointments for Thursday when she checked online early in the morning, but opted for a Saturday reservation for her four-year-old son to give him more time to prepare for the photo shoot.
It’s a “huge relief” to know that her son Jasper, who has asthma, will have extra protection against the virus until school starts in September, Rothgeb-Bird said.
“He’s probably the most at-risk in this house … so it was a nice feeling to be able to book an appointment for him,” she said, noting that Jasper had asked his parents when he could get his vaccine after they received their fourth doses this week.
The booking system works well, users report
Others who booked appointments through the online provincial portal Thursday morning reported a relatively quick and painless experience, a far cry from the long lines and technical issues seen during earlier vaccine launches.
Toronto mom Isabelle Duchesne said she was happy to have Friday appointments for her two young children – ages 16 months and two-and-a-half years – after a “seamless” experience at the online site shortly after eligibility opened.
“Our plan is to pick them up from daycare, drive over and then celebrate at McDonald’s,” she said.
Robin Sharp was able to get in at 7:30 a.m. when she saw posts on social media indicating that the booking portal had opened a little earlier. She scheduled a vaccine appointment for her 16-month-old daughter for next week, even though the closest available clinic was in Toronto, about a 30-minute drive from her home in Brampton, Ontario.
Sharpe said she had mixed emotions about the milestone because she was concerned that vaccines no longer targeted the dominant strain of COVID-19.
“It feels like the only thing we can do, so we’re going to go ahead and do it, but I wish I was a lot more excited,” she said by phone.
A pediatric vaccine approved earlier this month
Public health departments covering Toronto, Hastings and Prince Edward counties and Leeds, Grenville and Lanark advertised clinics offering the shots as of Thursday, and some pharmacies were also able to start vaccinations.
Efforts to immunize the youngest age group are expected to increase across the province in the coming days.
Health Canada approved Moderna’s pediatric shot this month, and Ontario’s health minister says the vaccine is safe, effective and will help protect children from the virus.
Immunocompromised youth aged 12 to 17 could also schedule second booster doses from Thursday if six months have passed since their first booster dose.
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