Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Pfizer Canada says it plans to provide Health Canada with data showing its COVID-19 vaccine works for children in a bid to seek authorization "as early as possible."
Pfizer said Monday its research shows its product works for children aged five to 11 and that it will also seek U.S. authorization for this age group soon -- a key step toward protecting schoolchildren from the novel coronavirus.
Christina Antoniou, the company's director of corporate affairs in Canada, says they "share the urgency" to provide data that could lead to a shot for young kids.
She could not say when that information would be submitted, but notes Pfizer has been sending new vaccine data to Health Canada as it becomes available.
Pfizer's latest findings have not been peer-reviewed, nor published.
Health Canada says several studies on children are underway by various COVID-19 vaccine makers, and that it "anticipates vaccine manufacturers to provide data in children in the coming months."
Health Canada adds that no submission has been received yet for the approval of any COVID-19 vaccine in children younger than 12 years old.
The vaccine made by Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech is already available for anyone aged 12 and older.
Pfizer studied a lower dose of its two-dose vaccine in more than 2,200 kindergartners and elementary school-aged kids, mostly in the United States and Europe. It says the kids developed coronavirus-fighting antibody levels just as strong as those detected in teenagers and young adults.
Moderna is also testing its shots in elementary school-aged children, and both Pfizer and Moderna are studying COVID-19 vaccines for those as young as six months old. Results are expected later in the year.
Medical officials called the results of Pfizer's trial with kids "encouraging" but cautioned against anticipating too much too soon.
The medical lead with Manitoba's COVID-19 vaccine implementation team said it was too early to know what the findings could mean for kids under the age of 12 in the province.
"At this time, we don't even know the extent of how well it protects, what number of side effects they saw. We're very early in the planning," said Dr. Joss Reimer.
However, Reimer said the team has started planning in the event Health Canada approves the Pfizer vaccine for children.
She said this may include providing doses in schools or having alternative clinics in place for youth.
A spokeswoman for Ontario's health ministry said the province is "monitoring the evidence."
"Working with our public health and health system partners we will be ready to administer doses to children aged five to 11 as soon as they are approved by Health Canada," said Alexandra Hilkene.
Alberta also said it would await Health Canada approval before vaccinating children.
"Until vaccines are approved for this age group, younger children rely on older Albertans who are immunized to strengthen our defences to protect everyone in our province," said provincial government spokeswoman Lisa Glover.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Monday, Sept. 20, 2021.
With files from Laura Osman in Ottawa, Brittany Hobson in Winnipeg, John Chidley-Hill in Toronto, Bob Weber in Edmonton and the Associated Press
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
The giant stone statues guarding the Lions Gate Bridge have been dressed in custom Vancouver Canucks jerseys as the NHL playoffs get underway.
A local Oilers fan is hoping to see his team cut through the postseason, so he can cut his hair.
A family from Laval, Que. is looking for answers... and their father's body. He died on vacation in Cuba and authorities sent someone else's body back to Canada.
A former educational assistant is calling attention to the rising violence in Alberta's classrooms.
The federal government says its plan to increase taxes on capital gains is aimed at wealthy Canadians to achieve “tax fairness.”
At 6'8" and 350 pounds, there is nothing typical about UBC offensive lineman Giovanni Manu, who was born in Tonga and went to high school in Pitt Meadows.
Kevin the cat has been reunited with his family after enduring a harrowing three-day ordeal while lost at Toronto Pearson International Airport earlier this week.
Molly Knight, a Grade 4 student in Nova Scotia, noticed her school library did not have many books on female athletes, so she started her own book drive in hopes of changing that.
Almost 7,000 bars of pure gold were stolen from Pearson International Airport exactly one year ago during an elaborate heist, but so far only a tiny fraction of that stolen loot has been found.