The province announced a change Saturday with how parents and guardians of eligible children can book COVID-19 vaccine appointments.
Last week, the province announced children born between 2006 and 2009 with underlying health conditions were eligible for a Pfizer vaccine.
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On Saturday morning, Alberta’s chief medical officer of health Dr. Deena Hinshaw tweeted that a note from a doctor would no longer be required for eligible children to book an appointment, which was previously the case.
Hinshaw said the change was made based on feedback from parents, family doctors and pediatricians.
Parents and guardians can make a decision to have their child get the vaccine if they’re eligible. If parents/ guardians have questions, they can talk to their doctor, but they don’t need to get a letter before getting immunized. (4/6)
— Dr. Deena Hinshaw (@CMOH_Alberta) May 1, 2021
On April 23, the province approved the Pfizer vaccine for children 12-15 years old with health conditions that put them at great risk for severe outcomes if they were to be infected with COVID-19.
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Alberta is among the first jurisdictions in the world to make this decision. The National Advisory Committee on Immunization has recommended approving Pfizer for teens but Health Canada has yet to do so.
“National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) has stated that youths aged 12-15 with a pre-existing health condition are more at risk of severe outcomes from COVID-19 than from a COVID-19 vaccine, and would benefit from getting Pfizer vaccine,” Tom McMillan, a spokesperson for Alberta Health, told Global News in an email.
“Pfizer has submitted safety and efficacy data for this age group to Health Canada with an application to expand the age of licensure.”
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Children born between 2006 and 2009 who are eligible for the Pfizer vaccine include those who have cancer, chronic heart disease and chronic kidney disease.
As of April 29, 1,562,713 vaccine doses had been administered in Alberta.
