The Ottawa area's weekly COVID-19 vaccination checkup: Nov. 25

Highlights:

• A COVID-19 vaccine is approved for children as young as five.
• We have details of local plans for this expansion.
• A vaccine could beapproved for children under fivein early 2022.
• Some of Canada's international travel rulesare changing.
• Kingston and Renfrew County tighten some rules for their areas.

Every Thursday, CBC Ottawa brings youthisroundup of COVID-19 vaccinationdevelopments throughoutthe region. You can find more information through links at the bottom of the page.

There have been more than3.6milliondoses administered in the wider Ottawa-Gatineau region, which has about 2.3 million residents.

That's more than 18,000 doses in the last week, slightly fewer than the week before.

Provincial picture

A major development in Canada's pandemic happened last week: Health Canada approved Pfizer-BioNTech's vaccine for kids as young as five.

Health Canada said clinical trials showed thevaccine was 90.7 per centeffective at preventing COVID-19 in children five to 11 years of age and no serious side effects were identified.

WATCH | Kids in Ottawa react to becoming eligible for a vaccine:

Ottawa kids greet vaccination news with excitement, trepidation

3 years ago

Duration 0:43

Several Ottawa residents under the age of 11 said theyre excited to get the vaccine, though the thought of needles is a distressing one.

Ontario opened booking for kids born in 2016 and earlier on Tuesday morning. The first shots went out later that day in Toronto.

WATCH | Younger children are now getting COVID-19 vaccines:

First kids COVID-19 shots administered in Canada

3 years ago

Duration 1:54

As five- to 11-year-olds in Canada began getting their COVID-19 vaccines Tuesday, doctors cautioned that uptake may not be swift and urged public patience as some parents take time make decisions.

Quebec also opened booking on Tuesdayand started vaccinating on Wednesday, including in the Outaouais.

In Quebec, children have to be five at the time their appointment is booked. That province is going to holdclinics in schools for kids with written consent to get vaccinated, and gives the option for siblings to share a time slot.

Both provinces aregoing to givedoses to this age group at least eight weeks apart.

• Kids and COVID-19 vaccines: your questions and how to prepare
• Doctors say the kids' COVID-19 vaccine is a booster for mental health

Unlike older people, the national vaccine task force does not recommend kids this age get a flu shot at the same time as a COVID-19 vaccine.

Children under the age of five could potentially be vaccinated for COVID-19 as early as the new year, according to Canada's chief public health officer.

Quebec is also now offering third vaccine doses to people age 70 and up, along with those who got two doses of the AstraZeneca-Oxford Covishield vaccine.

Ninety-oneper cent of Quebec residents age 12 and uphave had at least one dose and 88per cent are fully vaccinated.

Eighty-ninepercent of Ontario residents of that age have at least one vaccine dose, while about 86per centare fully vaccinated.

Local health authorities have not added newly eligible children to their vaccine updates yet.

Starting Tuesday, Canada will recognize as fully vaccinated those who were inoculated with World Health Organization approved vaccines Sinopharm, Sinovac and COVAXIN.

The government also said starting Jan. 15certain groups of travellers currently exempt from certain entry requirements will only be allowed to enter Canada if they are fully vaccinated.

Ottawa

Ottawa Public Health's plan to vaccinate younger kids includes nearly doubling the number of community vaccine clinics, holding after-hours clinics at dozens of schools and using pharmacies and family doctors.

The expansion grows its vaccine-eligible pool by about 77,000 people.

• How to book a COVID-19 vaccine for your child in Ottawa

Overall, the capitalstill has regularandpop-up clinicsfor anyone eligible to get a first, second or third dose, as well asneighbourhood vaccine hubs,and it'sbringing mobile vaccine clinics to those who request it.

More than 1.6milliondoses have now been given to Ottawa residents.

Of the city's total population of just over one million, 80 per cent of residents have had at least one dose, including 91 per cent of residents born in 2009 or earlier.

Seventy-sevenper centof the total population is fully vaccinated, as are 88per centof the 12+ population.

Western Quebec

Parents are urged to make an appointment through the online system, but walk-in appointments will beavailable Saturdays at the Palais des Congrsbetween 9:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

The appointments offered to younger children in the Outaouais will be dedicated entirely to them, the health unit said, and also feature children's television programs in waiting areas, surprises after they receive their dose andsupport dogs during certain time slots.

About 33,500 local kids are included in this eligibility expansion.

WATCH | WhatQuebec's 5-11 vaccine campaignlooks like:

Quebecs COVID-19 vaccination program for children explained

3 years ago

Duration 2:26

Quebec children age five to 11 can now get their shots. The premier hopes parents will get their kids vaccinated, but he doesn't want to pressure them.

CISSSOcontinues to list recurring,mobile and pop-upclinics online.

• Here are the noteworthy vaccine policies for Ottawa-Gatineau

The Outaouais has distributed about 614,000dosescombined first, second and third among a population of about 386,000.

Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington

About 13,000 children are now eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine in this area.

It's offering shots to them at its three main clinics and bringing a mobile clinic to a different high school every week, starting withNapanee District Secondary School on Thursday.

WATCH | A Q&A about these new vaccines for younger children:

COVID-19: Your questions about vaccines and kids answered

3 years ago

Duration 8:03

Pediatric infectious disease specialists Dr. Fatima Kakkar and Dr. Jacqueline Wong answer parents questions about COVID-19 vaccines for kids, including what side effects to expect and the prevalence of long COVID in children.

Its medical officer of health is making children age 12 to 17 be vaccinated to play indoor sportsas it tries to turn around its COVID-19 problem. They have to have a first dose by Dec. 6 and a second by Feb. 25, 2022.

It's still managing smaller clinics and mobile clinics to better reach areas with lower vaccination rates, with options shared regularly online and on its social feeds.

The health unit has now given a first dose to about 91per cent of its population 12 and older. More than 87 per cent of that grouphave been fully vaccinated.

The region, with a population of about 213,000,has hadabout 345,000 vaccine doses combined first, second and third given to residents.

About 8,000 residents have had a third dose.

Eastern Ontario Health Unit

Medical Officer of Health Dr. Paul Roumeliotis said Monday about 15,000 children are now eligible. Heestimated50 to 60 per cent of their parents are ready to go and another 30 per cent will be once they get some questions answered by people such as their family doctor or the health unit.

• Vaccinating young kids may take time but experts ready to discuss parents' concerns

Some of its clinics listed over the next several weeks arejust for children age five to 11.Roumeliotis said there will be walk-in clinics at schools on three straight weekends starting Dec. 4 that will be spread out over the area.

WATCH | His vaccine expansion update starts around 7:30:

More than 336,000 vaccine doses have been administered among a population of about 209,000, including more than5,800 third doses.

About 92 per cent ofresidents 12 and older arepartially vaccinated, and about 89per cent are fully vaccinated.

Details for its regular and pop-up vaccine clinics are regularly shared on its website and social media.

Leeds, Grenville and Lanark

Appointments for newly eligible kids are recommended because they get priority at its clinics, though walk-ins may be possible. Doses will start going out on Friday.

There will be some kids-only clinics in Brockville and Smiths Falls next month, though parents who qualify for a dose can get vaccinated at the same time as their child.

Health officialshavesome tips for getting younger kids ready for a vaccine.

WATCH | Some of those tips:

How to prepare your child for their COVID-19 vaccine

3 years ago

Duration 4:05

Annik Otis is an advanced practice nurse at the Montreal Children's Hospital, specializing in pain management

The health unit hasgiven about 305,000 doses to residents, which now includes about 5,400 third doses.

It is seeing 95per cent of itspopulation age 12 and up with at least one doseand about 92per cent of those residents have at least twodoses.

The unit is posting walk-up vaccine locations on Twitterand online.

Hastings Prince Edward

About 269,000doses have been administered to this area's residents, including more than 5,700 third doses.

Ninety per cent of thelocal population 12 and older at least has a first dose. Eighty-fiveper cent are fully vaccinated.

There are regular clinics in Bancroft,Belleville and Picton.It lists other community optionson its websiteand is not offering walk-in shots for newly eligible children.

Renfrew County

Because of a rising case count, the health unit now requires all people, regardless of symptoms or vaccination status, to isolate and get a PCR test if they live with someone who has tested positive.

With a population of about 109,000, Renfrew County hasdistributed nearly 160,000 doses.

About89per centof its population above age 12, including military at Garrison Petawawa,haveat least a first dose and about 86per cent are fully vaccinated.

The health unitregularly shares pop-up and walk-inclinic information online.

Thatincludes a clinic by appointment only for children age five to 11 at the unit's Pembroke office Friday afternoon. It's also compiling a list of local pharmacies that are offering these shots.