Thread by @awong37

"Hi Alex. With #Omicron in Canada, what's the optimal 2nd dose interval for kids b/w 5-11 who have 1 dose?"

VERY different space w/ Omicron now vs 4 weeks ago when NACI guidance was released.

We'll try for 3-4 wk interval in #SK for our 5 year-old, NOT 8. Here's why. (1/n)

Let's start by acknowledging that we have no real clinical data in this space right now. We don't know HOW protected kids b/w 5-11 are with 1 dose vs different variants like Delta or Omicron.

Kids immune systems are ++ robust, so 1 dose definitely confers some protection. (2/n)

That said, NACI guidance on 8 week interval was developed before we knew about Omicron. Extending dose intervals makes 100% sense to optimize long-term protection and minimize risk of heart inflammation events, etc. (3/n)

The problem now with Omicron is its ability to infect persons who are vaccinated or have recovered from COVID - this is much more significant than previous variants like Alpha or Delta. How protective vs infection will 1 dose be in kids? Not sure. (4/n)

The challenge with the pandemic is things change SO FAST.

Schools & daycare settings are at ++ risk w/ Omicron circulating and transmissibility 2-3 times greater than Delta.

Optimizing protection for kids before returning to school in January w/ 2 doses makes sense to me. (5/n)

The goal of vaccinating our kiddos was ALWAYS to prevent severe illness / death, but ALSO to prevent infection altogether in order to avoid the risks associated with MIS-C and long-term COVID complications, etc. (6/n)

In summary, we can ONLY prepare for what's here. That's Omicron. We can't plan months ahead when the entire world could look different by then.

Speak with your healthcare provider. Regardless of your choice, having your kiddos FULLY VACCINATED matters most. Be safe, all.

(/end)