FAQ sur le vaccin COVID-19 pour enfants

Pourquoi votre famille devrait-elle recevoir le vaccin COVID-19 ?

Je m'appelle Dr Kent Saylor (MD Pédiatre), je suis un pédiatre mohawk de Kahnawä:ke.

Certains d'entre vous se souviennent peut-être de moi en tant que pédiatre visiteur pour certaines des communautés côtières d'Eeyou Istchee.

Aujourd'hui, j'aimerais vous parler des vaccins.

En tant que pédiatre, j'encourage toutes mes familles à faire vacciner complètement leurs enfants.

C'est la meilleure façon de les garder en sécurité... pendant cette pandémie de COVID.

J'encourage vivement tous les membres de la communauté à se faire vacciner contre le COVID.

Il est sans danger, même pour vos enfants.

Nos aînés sont les détenteurs du savoir. Nos enfants sont l'avenir et leurs parents doivent prendre soin d'eux.

La vaccination de tous est le meilleur moyen de les protéger.

Faites-vous vacciner.

Nos générations futures en dépendent.

Meegwetch et restez en sécurité, tout le monde.

Il est normal d'avoir des questions sur le vaccin COVID-19.

• Renseignez-vous auprès d'un médecin ou d'une infirmière de votre CMC.

Vaccination helps prevent or reduce the spread of COVID-19.   

• Vaccination offers children protection against getting very sick or being hospitalized if they do become infected. Being vaccinated also reduces the chance they’ll spread the virus to people around them. 

•  Vaccinating children against COVID-19 could help to slow down future waves that may come in the pandemic. 

• There are many children in Eeyou Istchee. Children aged 5-11 make up a large part of our population (one-fifth of the total, which is about 2,500 children).  

• COVID-19 vaccination helps protect the whole community.   

• When children are vaccinated, it will mean families and communities will be better protected, and can gather more safely.  

• Getting vaccinated for COVID-19 can help stop other variants of the virus from forming when it moves between people.   

• Children have been impacted by the pandemic in many important ways – like school disruptions, being away from friends, and not having as many activities. Vaccinating children in Eeyou Istchee and elsewhere is a major step to help fight the pandemic.  

Children can catch COVID-19 and get sick from it.   

• Although children and youth are less likely to get really sick from COVID-19, they can still get sick, be infected and not have any symptoms, spread COVID-19 to others, or experience longer-term side effects if they do get infected.   

• Children with certain underlying medical conditions may have a higher risk for severe illness.   

• 2 doses of COVID-19 vaccine reduce the risk of MIS-C (multisystemic inflammatory syndrome in children), which is a rare but severe complication of an infection to COVID-19.  

• Children can become infected with the virus and not have any symptoms.   

• The vaccine helps prevent kids from getting COVID-19.   

• COVID-19 vaccines help their body fight off the virus if they do catch COVID-19.   

• People who are fully vaccinated and who do get infected with COVID-19 will likely have no symptoms, or mild symptoms.   

• People who are fully vaccinated have less chance of passing along the virus if they do get infected.   

Vaccination is a personal choice. We want people to get the right information, and talk about it with their families.  

• COVID-19 vaccines reduce the chances that people will get COVID-19. The vaccine helps your body fight off the virus if you are infected.  

• People who are fully vaccinated and who do get infected with COVID-19 will likely have no symptoms or mild symptoms.  

•  Children are well protected against severe illness starting 7 days after their second dose.  

• Protection last at least 6 months. There is ongoing research about how long protection lasts.  

For children aged 6 months to 4 years old who are NOT immunocompromised:  

• We are offering 2 doses of the Spikevax (Moderna) vaccine to complete their primary vaccine series (baseline vaccination), with an interval of 8 weeks between doses. 

• Booster doses are not yet approved for children under the age of 5 years old.    

For children aged 6 months to 4 years old who are immunocompromised:  

• Children who are immunocompromised (weakened immune system) are recommended to get 3 doses of the Spikevax (Moderna) vaccine to complete their primary vaccine series (baseline vaccination), with an interval of 4 weeks between doses. 

• Booster doses are not yet approved for children under the age of 5 years old. 

At this time, we are offering 2 doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to children aged 5 – 11 (what is called a “primary vaccine series”).  

• 2nd doses for children 5-11 will be offered in Eeyou Istchee starting January 19. 

• For the best immune response, it is recommended that children 5 - 11 get the 2nd dose about 8 weeks after the 1st dose. 

• Children who are immunocompromised (weakened immune system) should however get their 2nd dose earlier, 4 weeks after 1st dose. 

• A booster dose is not recommended for children at this time. 

• There is no evidence at present that children and adolescents need booster doses of COVID-19 vaccine. 

• Like older youth and adults, most children will need to get 2 doses of the vaccine.   

• However, the doses for children are smaller – about one-third of the dose given to adults and youth.    

• The recommended interval between the 1st and 2nd dose for children aged 5 – 11 is  8 weeks. 

• Like adults, children are well protected against severe illness 7 days after their second dose.   

• Immunocompromised or dialysis patients aged 12-17 need 3 doses to complete their primary vaccine series (4 weeks interval between dose 1 and 2 and 4 weeks between dose 2 and 3), but immunocompromised or dialysis patients aged 5-11 need 2 doses only (with an interval of 4 weeks between doses).  

Yes.  

• A previous infection of COVID-19 protects someone from COVID-19, but that protection is not as strong or long-lasting as vaccination.  

• If your child (5 – 11 years old) has already had COVID-19 at least 21 days before their 1st COVID-19 vaccine dose (and that the infection was confirmed with a PCR test), they do not require further dose to be considered adequately protected. Talk to your health care provider for more details and to make sure that this situation applies to your child. 

• It is recommended to wait 8 weeks after a COVID-19 infection to get vaccinated. 

• If your child is due to get other vaccines soon (according to their immunization schedule), do not delay the COVID-19 vaccine.  

• The COVID-19 vaccine and the flu vaccine (flu shot) can even be given on the same day!  

• Talk to your health care provided at the CMC, they can help answer your questions.  

1. Make a plan. Talk ahead of time about the upcoming vaccination– tell your kid what they can expect and let them ask questions. 

2. Offer choices.  Let them choose how they might be distracted (like a favorite toy, video, or listening to you tell a story), or if they prefer to squeeze your hand or count during the injection. They may also choose if they want to watch or look away, how they want to be positioned, and in which arm they want the injection. 

3. Let them know you understand their worries and feelings.  Instead of saying “it’s just a shot”, try: “Crying is OK. It’s OK to share how you feel. I will stay with you.” 

4. Reassure them. Assure them that you’ll be there for your child during the injection, and you’ll get through it together. Use words that tell a positive story. You can say things like “pressure”, “pinch” or “poke” instead of “pain” or “shot”.  

5. Let them know they did a good job. Praising a child afterward with “you did it” or “I’m so proud of you for doing it” can also help. 

The Cree Health Board is offering colouring materials at the clinic for kids to use after their appointment. 

Yes. The Pfizer vaccine is safe for children aged 5-11, and it works.  

• The COVID-19 vaccines have been studied for safety and effectiveness in clinical trials involving hundreds of thousands of children in many different countries.  

• On November 19, 2021 Health Canada approved the Pediatric Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 Comirnaty vaccine for children aged 5-11. This vaccine is also known as “Pediatric Pfizer”.  

• Vaccination of children aged 5-11 with the Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 Comirnaty vaccine began in Eeyou Istchee on November 24, 2021.   

• Vaccines continue to be studied even after they’re approved.  Data on the COVID-19 vaccines is still being collected and tracked as they are given to people in the population. This is to make sure that any signs of safety issues are detected as soon as possible, and action is taken.   

• The COVID-19 vaccines were tested in clinical trials involving hundreds of thousands of children in many different countries. 

• The clinical trials looked at safety and effectiveness of the vaccine.  

• They also compared safety and effectiveness across different age groups. 

• Reactions to the vaccine are rarer among children than in teenagers and adults. They occur more often with the second dose.  

• Using an interval of 8 weeks or more between doses allows a better efficacy and reduces the frequency of reactions after vaccination.  

• In youngsters, pain is most often felt at the injection site.  

  • Less than 1 out of every  2 children may have: redness or swelling at the injection site, headache, fatigue, muscle soreness.  

  • Less than 1 out of  10 children may have fever or shivering, diarrhea, vomiting or joint pain.  

  • Less than 1 out of 100 children may experience swollen armpit lymph nodes. 

• Most side effects only last for 1 or 2 days and occur more often after the second dose.  

• Rare cases of myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) or pericarditis (inflammation of the tissue that surrounds the heart) have been observed in older children and adults, most often after the 2nd dose. In clinical studies, no cases were observed in children aged 5 to 11 years, but a very small risk of myocarditis or pericarditis cannot be excluded.  

• We recommend that you and your child remain at the clinic for at least 15 minutes after vaccination, because an allergic reaction may occur. If an allergic reaction occurs, the symptoms will appear a few minutes after vaccination. The vaccination team will be able to treat the reaction immediately. 

• If your child has a reaction to the vaccine: Apply a cold, damp compress at the injection site to reduce pain, swelling, redness or itching.  

• Take medicine like Tylenol or Ibuprofen like Advil to lower fever and discomfort.  

• See a doctor if there is chest pain, palpitations or shortness of breath. 

• Call the clinic if side effects last more than 2 days, or if you are worried about the side effects that your child is experiencing. 

1. Why should children get the COVID19 vaccine now?

• Children have endured significant and profound impacts in the pandemic. School disruptions, social isolation, fewer activities.
• Our young children have not been able to benefit from the protection vaccination offers.
• Vaccinating children in Eeyou Istchee and elsewhere is a major step forward.
• In Eeyou Istchee, children aged 511 make up onefifth of our population (about 2,500 children).
• Vaccination offers children protection against getting very sick. It reduces the chance of spreading the virus to people around them.
• When children are vaccinated, it will mean families and communities will be better protected.
• It means families can gather with more ease.
• Vaccination is a personal choice. We want people to get the right information, and talk about it with their families.

2. Many people have questions about the vaccine and children. I’d like to talk about a few of those questions now.

a. How safe is the vaccine?

• The Pfizer vaccine is safe for children aged 511, and it works.
• The vaccine was approved in Canada after a review of broad and thorough clinical trials involving hundreds of thousands of children in several countries.

b. How was it tested?

• Through clinical trials involving hundreds of thousands of children in several countries.
• This review was done to determine the vaccine’s safety for use with children, and the vaccine’s efficacy in protecting children against COVID19.
• The trials also show that the vaccine is highly effective (90,7% against symptomatic COVID19, 7 days after dose 2).
• Children produce a similar level of antibodies as older youth.
• Children who get a COVID19 vaccine will receive a smaller dose, about 1/3 of the dose given to adults and youth.

c. What are the side effects?

• Vaccinating children sometime involves side effects. Side effects are normal with all vaccinations. They are temporary, often mild and will pass.
• The common side effect was a sore arm.

3. What can parents, guardians and caregivers do to make vaccination more comfortable for their children?

• Talk to them about the process, and what will happen at the clinic before their appointment.
• Bring a favorite toy.
• Let them watch a video or favorite show during the appointment.
• The health board is offering colouring materials at the clinic for kids to use after their appointment.

4. Where will the vaccine be offered to children?

• At the CMC, and in some communities, at school. People should check with their school and CMC about where the vaccine will be offered.

5. How can people make an appointment?

• People can make appointments on Clic Sante.  Parents and guardians can also sign the consent form at the same time.
• They can also provide consent at the clinic, at the time of vaccination.

6. Will children be required to get a vaccination passport like older youth and adults?

At this time, NO. Children won’t need to get a vaccination passport with proof of vaccination.