Vaccine expert: Third doses and COVID-19 vaccines for kids top of mind for Waterloo Region residents

Advice on third doses and vaccines for children From CTV News Kitchener: Vaccine expert from UW discusses third doses and vaccines for young children.

Waterloo — When Kelly Grindrod goes out for walks, the vaccine expert from Waterloo says she’s often stopped and asked about two things: third doses and vaccinating young children against COVID-19.

ADVICE ON THIRD COVID-19 DOSES

“We have lots of three-dose vaccinations,” said Grindrod, a University of Waterloo researcher at the School of Pharmacy, during the region’s Friday COVID-19 update. “Hepatitis is one we think of where get two doses close together, and several months later you get the next dose.”

Grindrod noted the third dose is a result of studies and long-term data that looked at breakthrough infections where fully vaccinated individuals were infected with COVID-19.

“We do know that there are certain populations more at risk of those breakthrough infections, and so what you are seeing are recommendations for those populations to get their third dose now,” said Grindrod.

Last week, the province expanded the eligibility for third doses.

The list now includes residents over the age of 70 and health-care workers.

Officials stress now is a good time for residents to receive their third COVID-19 jab if eligible. They expect COVID-19 vaccination clinics and pharmacies to get busier in the coming weeks when more groups get the go-ahead.

ADVICE FOR VACCINATING CHILDREN

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the use of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for children aged five to 11-years-old last week.

Grindrod noted there have been no new serious side effects in trials.

Grindrod expects Health Canada to approve COVID-19 vaccines for children between the ages of five and 11 by the end of November.

“Some of the things we know so far for kids is that it’s going to be a lower dose, it’s a 10 microgram dose. The adult dose is 30 micrograms,” said Grindrod.

“The most common question I get is ‘how far apart will the doses be for kids?’,” added Grindrod. “We don’t know yet because that’s what NACI (National Advisory Committee for Immunization) recommendation is going to give us. They are going to tell us if it’s 21 days apart, eight weeks apart or longer. We know from older people that a bit further apart gives a bit better immune response. So we’ll see what they tell us. “