Dr. Birinder Narang MBBS CCFP Profile picture
Sikh - He/Him - Tweets My Views Family Physician @GlobalBC - Medical Contributor @UBCFamPractice - Clinical Assistant Prof

Nov 24, 2021, 10 tweets

1/ #COVID19BC - Age 5-11 Vax Rollout

Vax program announced today.

Some background:
Cases down w/ 457 new cases in past week, 15,917 total since beginning.

~20% new cases now in under 12 yo.

Most kids mild illness, but CAN get #MISC (19 in BC so far, average age 9)

#BCPoli

2/ Age & Vaccination

This graph shows that children under 12 years‐old are
generally at lower risk of infection than other age groups, even after returning to school in September.

Lower # of cases among fully vax individuals compared to unvaxxed across all age groups & time.

3/ Clusters & Schools

2975 exposure notifications, in 830 schools.
45% of schools had one (until Nov 13)
382 clusters (>2 cases w/in 14 days) in 217 schools.
Clusters identified in 12% of schools, so 88% of schools have had NO transmission events.
Median cluster size is 3 cases.

4/ COVID 19 vs Vaccine Risks - Age 12-17

Risk of getting COVID 19 is ~12-13x higher if unvaccinated.

0 people have been hospitalized if they have had 1 OR 2 doses.

509,806 vaccines given since May, 2021.

133 adverse events following vax reported (14 serious, ie anaphylaxis)

5/ Health Canada Approval & NACI

@GovCanHealth approved it through independent review assessing safety and efficacy.

The direct benefit is to increasing the child's protection, family confidence, but also the indirect benefit is to rest of is society in reducing transmission.

6/ Kids 5-11, 🔑Elements.

~25% kids registered so far.

10 µg dose, why?

Study looked at both 10 & 30 µg doses & found similar immune response w/ less side effects.

Kids immune systems respond well to less antigen (stimulation).

NACI recommends 8 weeks interval, so will BC.

7/ Steps.

Can register your child now, invitation for booking appointments will start coming out on Monday.

Clinics will start on Monday, multiple options.

If parent is unable to be present with their child, they can give written consent by proxy with adult accompanying child.

8/ Multiple clinic types.

Family Clinics - will not be doing boosters or dose 1s. Priority will be kids and immediate family members

12+ Clinics - will be done in large pharmacies (pediatric vaccines won't be don here).

What's missing?

@BCFamilyDoctors as usual.

9/ Getting information

Estimate that 55-60% of parents are now ready to vaccinate kids, w/ 15-20% wanting to wait for now and the rest not supportive.

~3 million kids in this age range in USA have been vaccinated with no new safety signals identified.

Lots of data will come.

10/ Resources

A collection of resources has been made available by @BCGovNews & @ImmunizeBC.

Info at: www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/co…

FAQ at: immunizebc.ca/COVID-19-vacci…

Cool app to help support children with anxiety getting vaxxed: respiire.com/COVID-19.html

#BCPoli

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