Nova Scotia will soon offer pediatric COVID-19 vaccines for children aged six months to four years old.
After federal authorities approved the Moderna pediatric COVID-19 vaccine earlier in the day as the first vaccine for children in this age group Nova Scotia announced its plans for distribution.
“We know that many parents of young children have been anticipating this day for quite some time, and we are pleased to see that there’s such a great interest to get some of the youngest Nova Scotians vaccinated,” said Dr. Shelley Deeks, Nova Scotia’s Deputy Chief Medical Officer of Health. “While most children in this age group have relatively mild disease, some do experience severe illness, especially those with underlying medical conditions.”
Prior to the announcement COVID-19 vaccines were only available to children aged five and up in Nova Scotia.
Appointments for children aged six months to four years old will open for booking in early August online.
Dr. Deeks says they expect the first doses to begin arriving in the next two weeks, which she hopes will enable to offer doses in August shortly after bookings are opened.
Children will need two doses of vaccine at least eight weeks apart. Moderately to severely immunocompromised children will need three doses of vaccine, with at least four weeks between the first and second dose and eight weeks between the second and third dose. Children will be considered fully vaccinated 14 days after their last dose.
If children are receiving other routine pediatric vaccines, those vaccines can only be administered at least 14 days before or after the COVID-19 vaccine.
