Researchers ask for feedback on COVID-19 vaccine information sheet for kids

Researchers withthe University of Waterloo's School of Pharmacy are asking for feedback from parents and the community as they prepare to release an information sheet on theCOVID-19 vaccineand children.

People can fill out an online survey which will help researchers better answer questions parents or guardians may have about the vaccine, according to Dr. Kelly Grindrod, an associate professor at the School of Pharmacy.

"We've been trying to anticipate the kinds ofquestions parents need to have answered to feel comfortable making a decision about the vaccination," Grindrod told CBC News.

"A big part of it was trying to provide some information on what we know about the virus in kids ... Separately, when you talk with parents about the vaccine, especially with the COVID vaccine, safety is the number one concern."

The information sheet covers questions around what vaccine children ages five to 11 will be eligible for and how many doses they can receive. The sheet also addresses questions around how the vaccine will workand whatside effects parents can expect.

The information sheet is intended for parents andguardians of children ages five to 11. Grindrod said they are also keepingeducators, family doctors, pharmacistsand other health-care workers in mind.

"We write it in a way that frontline health-care providers can also use it in their conversations with people," she said.

Giving parents info well in advance

Grindrodadds they hope to have the informationsheet available at the end of the week to give parents time to read it well in advance of whenthe vaccine gets thegreen light, which could be later this month.

She said many parents with children 12 and upsharedfrustration over receiving information after the vaccine was approved for that age group.

"For a lot of parents, there is a waiting period. They want to learn about it and they want to sit onthe decision a little bit before they actually make the choice," she said.

The survey is being funded bythe Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada.