COVID-19 vaccine mandate for kids not being considered at this time, B.C.'s top doctor says
With Canada working towards approving a COVID-19 vaccine for kids between the ages of five and 11, B.C.'s top doctor says officials aren't considering a vaccine mandate for that age group at this point.
Right now, vaccines are only approved for those aged 12 and older, but B.C. has already started preparing younger ages to get their shots by opening up registration. Even so, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said Tuesday that officials aren't yet looking to expand vaccine rules that are in place for adults to younger kids.
"I don't see at this point that mandatory vaccinations will be required for children," Henry said.
"I think there's a whole lot of considerations that we put into mandating vaccines and as we've talked about a number of times it depends on risk to the individual but also the situation that we're in and risk to others by the protection that we have or don't have."
Henry reiterated her previous assertion that children tend to experience a less severe illness if they're infected with COVID-19. Her comments came as she revealed the rate of positive tests among young British Columbians is trending down.
Late last month, data showed children between the ages of nine and 11 were getting infected at a rate of about 46 cases per 100,000 population in B.C. That number has since dropped to just under 30 cases per 100,000 population.
Henry said officials need to balance the benefit and the risk when considering vaccine rules for kids.
"We know some of the disruption that (children) have in their lives and it's a way to try and minimize that. That is really important. It's important for growth and development of children," Henry said. "This is not something that we're considering at this point."
Henry said there will likely be provisions in place to exclude unvaccinated children from spaces if there's a COVID-19 outbreak, similar to how measles outbreaks are sometimes handled.
"Those are the measures that we'll think about going forward," she said.
"But we're actually quite excited that we'll have some way of protecting young children from getting sick from this virus but also making sure that they can continue to experience the life that they need in this period of their growth and development."
With files from CTV News Vancouver's Andrew Weichel
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
U.S. says Israel's use of U.S. arms likely violated international law, but evidence is incomplete
The Biden administration said Friday that Israel's use of U.S.-provided weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law but wartime conditions prevented U.S. officials from determining that for certain in specific airstrikes.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
More than half the Canadians once detained in Syrian camps for suspected ISIS family members have returned home
A total of 29 Canadians have been freed from detention camps in northeast Syria and brought back to Canada since human rights advocates began lobbying for their release years ago.
Rare severe solar storm Friday could bring spectacular aurora light show across Canada
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Canada abstains from Palestinian UN membership vote but supports two-state solution
Canada was one of 25 countries that abstained from a United Nations vote on Palestinian membership that passed with overwhelming support on Friday.
Amish youth experience a rite of passage called Rumspringa. It’s not what you might think
The idea of “Rumspringa” has a specific spot in the American imagination. A rite of passage for young people in some Amish communities, Rumspringa is seen by most outsiders as a wild time away from strict Amish rules, when teenagers can experiment with the modern vices of the world.