Yukon now offering 1st booster doses for kids 5 to 11 years old, bivalent doses to come for adults

Children betweenfive to11 years oldcan now roll up their sleeves for a first booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, according to the Yukon government.

It follows the Health Canada approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech Comirnaty children's booster dose and recommendations from the Yukon's Chief Medical Officer of Health.

During a news conferenceThursday,Minister of Health and Social Services Tracy-Anne McPheereminded Yukoners thatsecond boosters are available to all Yukonersaged 18 and older.

"Staying up to date on vaccines and getting boosted as soon as you are eligible is your best protection against COVID 19,and the serious outcomes such as hospitalization or even death from the virus," she said.

McPhee added peopleare eligible for the second booster six months after their first first booster or three months after having had COVID-19.

As well, children who have recently had COVID-19 are not recommended to get a boosteruntil at least three months have passed since symptoms started or testing positive.

Territory asking for bivalent vaccine doses from feds

During the news conference, McPhee said the Yukon governmentis asking the federal government for bivalent vaccines, alsoknown as the omicron-specific booster shot.

"The recognition that the North should be properly provided with these vaccines is the message that we are continuing to take to the federal government," she said.

McPhee said she didn't know exactly when those could arrive but saidit could be later this month.

"We expect that we will have our share of them but we are continuing to seek higher numbers," she said. "We did expect them a bit sooner than now, but we continue on a daily basis to be in touch to say that we need those as soon as possible so that individuals can have access to them."

According to the federal government's website, 900 doses of the Moderna Spikevax Bivalent were distributed to Yukon as of Thursday. McPhee said those have not yet arrived in the territory.

"We will let Yukoners know when it's available," McPhee said.

Schools and COVID-19

McPhee said the Department of Education is focused on a two-year recovery phase that supports learning, mental health and wellness.

She said Yukon public schools are expected to continue to meet students and families "where they are and are during this stage of the recovery."

"Ensuring schools remain open and available to support the success for all students is a primary goal," McPhee said.

McPhee said, similar tolast year, Yukon schools aremonitoring operational capacity according to the department's recovery plan. She said if operational capacity becomes low at a particular school, the department"will respond as needed."

Yukon's Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Sudit Ranade, who joined McPhee in the news conference, reminded Yukoners this is the time of year colds and other illnesses tend to spread.

"Even in non-COVID times, the beginning of school in the fall was always a time when respiratory viruses in particular would start to circulate in that community," he said.

He said it's important for children to be updated on other routine childhood immunizations for things like diphtheria, measles, mumps and tetanus.

McPhee added thata COVID-19 strategy is expected to be made public later this month, which should outline Yukon's"way forward in managing COVID-19" while being mindful thatCOVID-19 requires a health response.