At a press conference in Fredericton on Tuesday, November 23, 2021, New Brunswick Health Minister Dorothy Shephard announced that parents and guardians can now book an appointment online for children aged five to 11 to receive their first dose of the pediatric Pfizer-BioNTech Comirnaty COVID-19 vaccine. 

“I am pleased to announce that the first appointments for children under 12 will be available on Friday,” said Health Minister Shephard. “Pediatric doses have already started arriving in New Brunswick and we will receive enough vaccine so every child aged five to 11 can be fully vaccinated.”

The pediatric dose of the vaccine was approved last week by Health Canada and is recommended by the National Advisory Committee on Immunization. Horizon and Vitalite health networks are both offering appointments for kids that can be booked online by visiting gnb.ca. Chief Medical Officer of Health for New Brunswick Dr. Jennifer Russell believes the opening up of the vaccine to this age group will play an important role in the province's COVID-19 recovery.  

“While children are at a lower risk of severe illness from COVID-19, the virus can still result in serious outcomes in some children, including hospitalization and long-term symptoms,” said Dr. Russell. “Vaccinating your child against COVID-19 also helps to reduce the spread in the community for individuals who are at risk of experiencing severe illness, such as the elderly and immunocompromised individuals.”

Dr. Rachel Ouellette, a Fredericton-based pediatrician, said vaccinating children also helps relieve the mental impact the pandemic has had on kids.

“I want to assure parents that the vaccine has been thoroughly tested and has been found to be safe for children five and older,” said Dr. Ouellette. “Over the past 20 months, children have missed out, at times, on school, extracurricular activities and social events, causing increased stress and negative impacts on their mental health. By choosing to vaccinate your child, you can ensure they are able to continue with their daily routines and will not have to worry about missing out.”.