The Moderna COVID-19 vaccine is the first to be authorized in Canada for use in children under five years of age. Its availability provides parents and guardians with a vaccine option to protect younger children against COVID-19.
On Aug. 2, appointments for first doses can be booked, with vaccine administration also beginning on Aug. 2.
“We are pleased to now offer a vaccine for families with children under the age of five. Parents are in the best position to decide whether the vaccination is right for their children, and we are providing them with the information they need to help them make that choice.”
“While most children are not at high risk of severe outcomes, children under five have higher risks than those age five to 11. I encourage parents and guardians to speak to a trusted health-care provider for questions about their child’s health, including questions about COVID-19 and immunization.”
Booking an immunization appointment for children under five
This vaccine will be administered at Alberta Health Services clinics around the province. First-dose appointments must be booked through the Alberta Vaccine Booking System at bookvaccine.alberta.ca or by calling Health Link at 811.
AHS will administer all of the doses for this age group, as the scope of practice for pharmacists for administering immunization is five years of age and older.
Children under the age of five who live on a First Nations reserve can access doses through nursing stations or public health clinics on-reserve.
It is recommended that children aged six months to 11 years receive a primary series of two doses with an interval of at least eight weeks between the first and second dose, or a primary series of three doses if they are moderately to severely immunocompromised with an interval of four to eight weeks between each dose.
Quick facts
- Health Canada approved the Moderna vaccine for children aged six months to five years on July 14. Use in the United States began on June 18, with no safety signals identified to date.
- More than 234,000 Albertans between six months and five years of age are now eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine.