The Pfizer Vaccine Has Been Approved For Kids Aged 5 To 11 By Health Canada

This is the first COVID-19 vaccine to be authorized in Canada for kids under 12 years old.

Senior Writer

The Pfizer vaccine for kids aged 5 to 11 years old was just officially approved for use in Canada.

On November 19, Health Canada announced that it has authorized the use of the Pfizer vaccine — aka Comirnaty — in children 5 to 11 years of age, making it the first COVID-19 vaccine to be approved for use in the age group in the country.

After a scientific review, Health Canada has now authorized a two-dose series to be administered three weeks apart, with a dosage that is lower than what's approved for people aged 12 years and older.

Clinical trial results showed that the immune response in children 5 to 11 years old was comparable to that of people aged 16 to 25. The vaccine was also 90.7% effective at preventing COVID-19 in the age group and no serious side effects were identified.

In October, Justin Trudeau revealed that the government has secured enough Pfizer doses to fully vaccinate every kid between 5 and 11 years old in Canada as soon as possible after the vaccine had been authorized for use.

Health Canada has a robust website with all the latest information on COVID-19 vaccines and can answer any questions you may have.

  • Senior Writer

    Lisa Belmonte (she/her) is a Senior Writer with Narcity Media. After graduating with a Bachelor of Journalism from Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University), she joined the Narcity team. Lisa covers news and notices from across the country from a Canada-wide perspective. Her early coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic earned Narcity its first-ever national journalism award nomination.