Loosening mandates, poor messaging slowing N.B. child vaccine rate, experts say
CBC
Loosening pandemic restrictions and poor messaging could be contributing to a lag in the COVID-19 vaccination rate among New Brunswick's youngest eligible age group, experts say.
As New Brunswick heads to Level 1 of its COVID-19 winter plan this Saturday, more than a third of eligible children under the age of 12 still haven't received at least one dose of vaccine.
"We understand that Public Health and the government has to balance all of their priorities," said Jake Reid, executive director of the New Brunswick Pharmacist's Association.
"We do know, though, that there's a slowdown [in vaccination uptake] and it's coinciding with things opening up a little more, becoming a little less restrictive.
After a two-week quasi-lockdown under Level 3, the province moved to the less-restrictive Level 2 on Jan. 29.
Premier Blaine Higgs then announced last week the province would move to Level 1 this Saturday, no longer requiring people to keep a limited list of close contacts, and allowing restaurants and stores to operate at full capacity.
With the lifting of restrictions, Reid said some people might now be questioning whether it's still worth getting vaccinated.
"But we really still need to get everyone vaccinated because it encourages safety for everyone so that we don't transmit as much to the population, and so people don't get as sick," he said.
In an email, Mark MacMillan, president of the New Brunswick Medical Society, said better communication is also needed to drive home the benefit of children getting vaccinated, and to combat the idea that it's unsafe for their health.
"Some children do experience serious symptoms and complications from COVID-19," MacMillan said.
"There is also a perception of enhanced vaccine risk with this group, but the reality is we have immunized millions of five to 11-year-olds and the vaccine has proven to be a very safe and effective means of avoiding hospitalization and serious outcomes."
MacMillan added that while New Brunswick's uptake is lowest in Atlantic Canada, sluggish rates in that age group is an issue across the country.
The province's single-dose vaccination rate for five to 11-year-olds as of Wednesday stood at 58.7 per cent, trailing behind Nova Scotia's, which was 67 per cent, Prince Edward Island's at 68 per cent, and Newfoundland and Labrador's at 80 per cent.
The two-dose rate for that age group in New Brunswick stands at 27.8 per cent.
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