Now that it’s approved, how do I register my little one for their Covid-19 vaccine but also get more info?
Those are good questions! Now that the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine for kids 5-11 has been approved in Canada, as with getting other age-groups vaccinated, registering is the first step in the process to getting young ones in your care vaccinated.
You can register your 5-11 year-old – or anyone older who still would like to get the vaccine – online, by phone or in person. This way, when appointments become available, you will get a text, email or phone call when it’s your turn to book a vaccine appointment.
To register your child/children you’ll need to provide their: 1) First and last name; 2) Date of birth; 3) Postal code; 4) Personal Health Number (PHN); 5) An email address that gets checked regularly or a phone number that can receive text messages.
To register online: www.getvaccinated.gov.bc.ca . (This is the quickest option, if you are comfortable online). To register on the phone: 1-833-838-2323. (If your kids don’t have a PHN, B.C.’s website says to register by phone). To register in-person here on the coast: Visit our local Service BC office in Sechelt at 5498 Wharf Avenue, Monday to Friday, 9am – 4:30pm.
How do I get more information to address concerns I have about the 5-11 kids’ vaccine?
It’s normal to have questions. The BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) website is a go-to resource for factual science that can speak to your questions and concerns around the vaccine. The “Children and COVID-19 Vaccination” page is a source of science-based information that is updated on an ongoing basis: http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/covid-19/covid-19-vaccine/vaccines-children.
Healthlink BC is a free provincial health information resource and advice phone line available here in BC. Call them free at 8-1-1 with your question. On the Healthlink BC website, there is a page called “Children, Youth and Families During COVID-19”. If you scroll down to the bottom of that page, the “Children with Special Health Needs” section has links to information specific to Covid-19 and various health conditions like Autism, Paediatric asthma and others: https://www.healthlinkbc.ca/covid-19/child-families-covid-19 .
While social media can be tricky since there is no limit of misinformation out there, there are verified accounts that can be great ways to get easy-to-understand information around the kids’ vaccine and beyond. Here are a couple Instagram accounts to check out:
@covidvaccinefacts – “Canadian physicians answering your questions & navigating the pandemic with evidence”.
@unbiasedscipod – An account linked to “The unbiased Science Podcast”. It is not only focused on Covid-19 and vaccines, but is an interesting account that keeps tabs on kids’ Covid-19 vaccines.
Angie Theilmann is an information and referral specialist at the Sunshine Coast Resource Centre, your community information hub. The Resource Centre is open Mon-Thurs 10am-330pm. Appointments are recommended to be sure we are available to help you. Drop-ins welcome. Contact us: help@resourcecentre.ca or 604-885-4088.