'Protect them': Saskatoon pediatrician encourages families to vaccinate kids against COVID-19

Saskatoon pediatrician Dr. Ayisha Kurji is encouraging families to get their children vaccinated, saying after an initial spike when the shots became available, the rate of pediatric vaccines in the province has plateaued.

“That initial rush was the families that were really excited, really gung-ho, waiting until the day that they could get it,” said Kurji.

According to the Government of Saskatchewan, as of Friday, 57,393 first doses have been administered to children aged 5-11 and 23,886 are fully vaccinated.

Kurji says there are a number of factors that could be keeping more children from receiving the vaccine; barriers like transportation to sites or difficulty booking appointments, to some children needing different environments to feel comfortable getting the jab.

“Regina has done a great job with low-sensory clinics, and we have our first low-sensory clinic in Saskatoon,” she said, referring to the clinic at the Kinsmen Children’s Centre.

“Some kids haven't been able to go for their first or second dose because they're stuck isolating because they've been exposed and you can't leave your house other than school or daycare so they can't go right now.”

The other reason, Kurji says, is families that still have questions about the safety and efficacy of the vaccine, and concerns about potential side effects.

“There have been millions and millions of kids now who've been vaccinated between Canada and the US, and very, very few significant adverse events,” she said, adding that side effects have shown to be a sore arm and redness at the site of the vaccination.

“With the science behind these vaccines, we know that they're actually broken down in your system within days, maybe weeks, so there would be no reason scientifically for us to think that there would be long-term effects.”

Kurji says she’s also heard concerns about myocarditis, or inflammation around the heart, that have occurred after some vaccinations and cases of the virus.

“You're much more likely to actually get myocarditis if you get infected with COVID compared to getting it from the vaccine,” she said.

“And the other piece of it is the degree or the severity of the myocarditis is much higher if you get it from the infection of COVID rather than the vaccine.”

Kurji says the rates of myocarditis in the 5-11 age group is ‘almost nothing’, and the children that end up in the hospital because of COVID-19 are more likely to be unvaccinated.

“Protect them, or at least to protect our community,” she said. “We know the way through this pandemic is really to get the infection rate lower.”

“The best tool in our toolbox is vaccines.”