'No Plan' to Implement Vaccine Passport for 5-11 Year Old's

There will not be a vaccine passport for children aged 5-11 years old according the the Eastern Ontario Health Unit's Medical Officer, Dr. Paul Roumeliotis. 

Speaking with Glengarry-Prescott-Russell MP, Mr. Francis Drouin, Dr. Paul answered questions form the public, concentrating on the recent approval of vaccinations for children aged between five and eleven, assuring parents that the vaccine isn't mandatory and that there are currently "no plans to make [the vaccine] mandatory" for those aged under 12. 

"We have spoken with the Ministry of Health in Ontario," Dr. Paul said "At this point we aren't looking at it [a vaccine passport]".

"The vaccination campaign it just starting and, by the time we start getting a high vaccination rate amongst the kids it'll be spring and at that point we will hopefully be removing vaccine passports.

"The government has said 'wait and see'".

COVID-19 vaccinations for children are a smaller dose than that injected into adults and, although there will be two doses, they are set to be two months (8 weeks) apart. 

Dr. Paul highlighted tow key reasons to get children vaccinated: returning to some sense of normalcy, as well as the new threat posed by the virus's latest mutation - referred to as 'Omnicron'.

A worry amongst parent's is the potential side effects that vaccinating children could have but, Dr. Paul pointed out that there have been over 4 million doses administered in the United States without any severe side effects.  "It is a normal process, with any vaccine that comes out, that we start with adults," he explained. "We then work down [to younger ae groups]....That is standard for any medication locally and internationally.  It has been approved by Health Canada and we know it's worth giving to children. Even though in most cases there are only mild symptoms, children have died, have been hospitalized and have had long term complications [from COVID-19]."

Vaccines have been available for the youngest age group since the 23rd of November with a walk in clinic available in Rockland on Friday December 3, 2021.