New Westminster continues to lead the way for pediatric COVID vaccinations when it comes to first doses – but second doses are off to a slow start.
As of Feb. 1, the latest B.C. Centre for Disease Control numbers show 63% of New Westminster children aged 5-11 had received their first shot of Pfizer pediatric vaccine. That number is still on an upward climb, but it's a slow one; this week is up from 60% the week before and 58% the week before that.
New Westminster's first-dose vaccination rate for children remains tops in Fraser Health, the area stretching from Burnaby to Hope and surrounding territory.
Fraser Health, however, continues to lag behind Vancouver Coastal Health and some areas of Island Health when it comes to getting children vaccinated. A handful of local health areas in those regions have now surpassed 70% pediatric vaccination, including Vancouver Westside at 70%, North Vancouver at 75%, Vancouver Midtown at 76%, Central Coast at 77%, the Saanich Peninsula at 74% and Greater Victoria at 75%.
This week also marks the first recorded second doses for New Westminster children, since B.C.'s second-dose rollout began on Nov. 24, based on a minimum eight-week interval since the first dose. For second doses, New Westminster stands at just 3%.
In Fraser Health, Chilliwack leads the way at 5%, with Delta at 4%.
Again, Vancouver Coastal Health leads the way, with the highest rates of second-dose vaccination at 14% for North Vancouver, Vancouver Midtown and Vancouver Westside. Vancouver City Centre and Vancouver Centre North are both at 11%.
Canada's National Advisory Committee on Immunization has advised that all children aged five to 11 should be vaccinated against COVID-19.
In B.C., provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix are continuing to encourage families to sign their children up for vaccinations.
“What we are seeing is that five-to-11-year-olds, thankfully, remain at low risk of severe disease, but the number of children being hospitalized because of infections has gone up, as the number of infections has gone up across our communities," Henry said last week.
Want to get your child vaccinated?
In order to be vaccinated, five-to-11-year-olds must first be registered in B.C.'s Get Vaccinated system, after which time an invitation will be sent (by text or email) to book an appointment.
You can find all the information online at B.C.'s pediatric vaccine page, or call the central vaccination line at 1-833-838-2323.
Who's vaccinating their kids in B.C.?
Here's a look at the most-vaccinated local health areas in the province. Numbers reflect first doses for the 5-11 population as of Feb. 1.
Central Coast: 77%
Vancouver Midtown: 76%
North Vancouver: 75%
Greater Victoria: 75%
Saanich Peninsula: 74%
Vancouver West Side: 70%
Vancouver Northeast: 69%
West Vancouver/Bowen Island: 68%
Vancouver City Centre: 67%
Western Communities: 66%
Vancouver South: 66%
Vancouver Centre North: 64%
New Westminster: 63%
Richmond: 63%
Follow Julie MacLellan on Twitter @juliemaclellan.
Email Julie, [email protected].
