First COVID-19 vaccine for kids under 5 approved in Canada

Health Canada has approved Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine for children under five years of age.

This is officially the first vaccine of its kind to be approved for that age group in the country.

Health Canada now says this vaccine can be given to young children between the ages of six months and five years old in doses one-quarter the size of those approved for adults.

The approval expands COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to nearly two million children in Canada, though the availability of the vaccine will be determined by provinces and the vaccine will require two doses given about four weeks apart.

There’s no distribution plan yet in Saskatchewan, but the provincial government says it’s placing an order and is expecting to get shipments of these kids’ vaccines next week.

“We will announce the plans to deliver these vaccines throughout the province before they arrive, to permit families to plan to have their children vaccinated as soon as possible,” the government said in a statement.

“It is anticipated that initial Moderna vaccine supplies for this age group may be limited, so these plans may include a staged approach to delivery.”

It’s also expecting guidance from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization on intervals for shots for kids who are a high risk or are immunocompromised.

Pfizer’s pediatric COVID-19 vaccine for children between six months and five years old was submitted to Health Canada last month and is still under review.

— With files from the Canadian Press