Monday February 27, 2023 | VICTORIA, BC
by Mary P Brooke, B.Sc. | Island Social Trends
Today BC Health has issued a COVID-19 vaccine update for children under age five years. It has to do with the expiry date of the Moderna mRNA COVID-19 vaccine.
The infant Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is also available and safe to substitute for the infant Moderna COVID-19 vaccine (but will require three doses instead of two).
“The COVID-19 vaccine for infants continues to be the best protection against severe illness associated with the COVID-19 virus,” it was stated in a BC Health news release today.
About 21% have received at least one dose:
“B.C.’s COVID-19 vaccination program has helped keep people safe,” says BC Health.
The Health Ministry reports that to date approximately 21% of infants and children between six months and four years of age in B.C. have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
More about COVID-19 vaccines for young children is posted on the BC Government page: COVID-19 Vaccines for Children
Current Moderna supply expires March 8:
People with children aged six months to four years are advised that Canada’s current supply of the infant Moderna mRNA COVID-19 vaccine expires on March 8, 2023.
British Columbia does not yet have a confirmed date for the arrival of a new supply of the infant Moderna COVID-19 vaccines. Based on information from the federal government, B.C. is expecting supply of this infant vaccine starting on April 11, 2023.
Appointments between March 9 and April 10:
Those parents or guardians who have booked appointments for their children aged six months to four years for a COVID-19 vaccine between March 9 and April 10 will be contacted to discuss their options for rebooking. Parents or guardians can also reschedule the appointment themselves by calling the call centre at 1-833-838-2323.
For children who are booked for both COVID-19 and influenza vaccines, they can proceed with the influenza vaccination and return at a later date for the COVID-19 vaccine. If more than eight weeks have passed since the child’s first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, their appointment for a second dose to complete their vaccination series can be moved up to before March 9. If their previous dose was less than eight weeks ago, they will be assisted in rebooking an appointment after April 11, 2023.
Pfizer instead of Moderna:
The infant Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is also available and safe to substitute for the infant Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.
The Pfizer infant series requires three doses at eight-week intervals as opposed to the two-dose Moderna infant vaccine series.
Children who have already received their first dose of infant Moderna can receive infant Pfizer as their second dose. However, they will require a third Pfizer dose to achieve full vaccination.
No booster for kids under 5:
There is currently no booster dose for children aged six months to four years.
===== RELATED:
Children’s hospitals dealing with flu, COVID & RSV (Nov 2, 2022)
Make sure children are up to date on all their vaccines as part of back-to-school preparations (Aug 27, 2022)
Island Health launches COVID-19 vaccination for kids up to age 5 (Aug 2, 2022)
COVID vaccine available for kids under age 5 (July 29, 2022)