Additional COVID-19 Vaccination Options for Children

Press Release

January 6, 2023

Starting Monday, January 9, Saskatchewan families will have additional COVID-19 vaccination options for children and teens.

For children five to eleven years, the Pfizer bivalent COVID-19 vaccine will be available as a first or additional booster.

In Saskatchewan, children five to 11 years may receive the Pfizer bivalent vaccine as a booster dose four months following their primary series or four months following their original COVID-19 vaccine booster dose (fourth dose).

For children 12 to 17 years, the Novavax Nuvaxovid vaccine will be available as a primary series and booster dose.

The Novavax vaccine is a protein-based vaccine and has been available to residents 18 and older since April 2022. Note that mRNA vaccines (Moderna, Pfizer) continue to be the recommended vaccines for all residents.

Due to limited supply of both of these vaccines, they will only be available through certain Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA), Northern Inter-Tribal Health Authority (NITHA) and Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) public health clinics. They are not available through pharmacies at this time.

Information on all COVID-19 vaccines approved by Health Canada is available at Saskatchewan.ca/covid19.

It’s Never Too Late to Be Vaccinated Against Influenza and COVID-19

Respiratory illnesses continue to transmit in all regions of the province, placing pressure on provincial acute and primary health care systems as people seek treatment for their symptoms.

Being up-to-date on your vaccinations matters. Having a COVID-19 booster in the last six months reduces the risk of a COVID-19 death eight times compared to unvaccinated individuals, and more than four times compared to those without a recent booster dose.

Prevent serious respiratory illnesses by receiving the vaccinations that are available: influenza and COVID-19. It’s safe to receive both of these vaccines at the same time.

All residents six months and older are eligible to receive an influenza vaccine.

• Children aged six months to four years can only be immunized at a public health office or by a physician or nurse practitioner. Only select physician offices offer influenza vaccines.
• Residents five years of age and older can receive their flu vaccine at participating pharmacies, SHA public health clinics and some physician and nurse practitioner officers.
• Contact your pharmacy or your doctor’s office to see if they are providing flu vaccinations. SHA vaccination appointment booking options can be found at 4flu.ca.

All residents six months and older are eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccinations.

• Those five years and older should receive one bivalent booster four months after completing their primary series or since their last COVID-19 vaccine booster dose (regardless of how many doses you have previously received).
• However, if you are 12 years of age or older and received an original COVID-19 vaccine for your fall booster instead of a bivalent vaccine, you are not eligible to receive a bivalent dose at this time. Epidemiological evidence, data on waning immunity, emerging variants and new vaccines will determine future booster dose recommendations.
• Children six months to four years of age are not eligible to receive a booster dose at this time, but should complete their primary series.

You can book your vaccination through the SHA online or visit a walk-in clinic.

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For more information, contact:

Media Relations
Health
Regina
Phone: 306-787-4083
Email: [email protected]

IHT5