Some Alberta parents hesitant to give COVID-19 shots to their kids
Posted August 3, 2022 11:02 am.
As Alberta rolls out the COVID-19 vaccine to kids under five, some parents are reluctant, and uptake has been slower than expected.
“I am really afraid for my daughter, she just came out of a huge spell of sickness,” said K. Humayoon, a mother of a three-year-old.
“To think about COVID-19 vaccinations and their possible side effects, it really frightens me. Don’t take me wrong, I really do want to get her vaccinated, but to go through all the possible side effects so quickly, I am not ready for it right now.”
Summer time in Calgary is busy for young kids, which can make them more prone to viral infections.
Parents already tired of their kids getting sick appear to be hesitant in booking vaccination appointments. AHS vaccination sites in Calgary are showing much less traffic than expected.
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Dr. Joan Robinson, a pediatric infectious diseases physician at the Stollery Children’s Hospital, says she wants to reassure parents about the safety of the vaccine.
“The vaccine is as safe as COVID-19 vaccines in any age group and relative to other vaccines that we use, COVID-19 vaccines tend to be very safe,” said Robinson.
“The vaccine has been licensed in the U.S. longer than in Canada, many children have received the vaccine and I think we can rest assured that it appears to be safe.”
COVID-19 vaccination booking for kids under five opened up on the AHS website on Aug. 2, some parents got a booking for the same day, while others seem to be facing technical difficulties. Those who managed to get the shot, say they were ecstatic.
“It really does give a little bit of peace of mind when she is headed to play school, and even if she ends up getting COVID-19 or one of us gets it, then it is likely to be much less severe,” said Kimberley McMann, a mother of a four-year-old. “It’s a huge sense of relief.”
The province opened up second COVID-19 booster shots for people of all ages in July.
