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COVID-19 Vaccine Update: Approval of first booster dose for individuals aged 5-11

Advisory Alert

September 1, 2022

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To: Local Health System Partners

FOR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION

This Advisory Alert provides an overview of the updated Ministry of Health and   Guidance documents following the provincial announcement (Ontario.ca) issued Wednesday, August 31, 2022. Highlighted within is the announcement of first booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccine for individuals aged 5-11.

First booster doses for individuals aged 5-11

All individuals in Ontario aged 5-11 are now eligible to receive a first booster dose of the Pediatric Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine following the completion of their primary COVID-19 vaccine series.

Children 5-11 years old with underlying medical conditions are at increased risk for severe outcomes associated with a COVID-19 infection and are recommended to receive this booster dose. This may include children who are medically fragile and/or have medical complexities, have more than one comorbidity, or have immunocompromising conditions. Examples of conditions that increase the risk of severe outcomes from COVID-19 include:

For a fulsome list of immunocompromising conditions and medications please refer to the 3-Dose Primary Series for Moderately to Severely Immunocompromised section of the Ministry of Health COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Recommendations document.

Individuals 5 to 17 years of age are recommended to receive a first booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at least 6 months (168 days) after completion of their primary series. This interval may be associated with a lower risk of myocarditis, with or without pericarditis. With informed consent, individuals 5-17 years old may receive their first booster dose at a minimum interval of 3 months (84 days) after completion of their primary series.

A booster dose is recommended based on the ongoing risk of infection due to waning immunity, the continued possibility of severe illness from COVID-19, the societal impacts related to the transmission of infection and the pandemic’s negative effects on the health system at large.

Primary care involvement

Primary care providers interested in offering the COVID-19 vaccine through their practice are asked to contact us at PCC_Vaccine_Questions@phsd.ca. To request additional COVID-19 vaccines please contact us at vaccineorder@phsd.ca. Primary care has multiple roles to play in the vaccine program, including onboarding practices to administer the vaccine in their offices, supporting vaccination clinics, and ongoing patient education on vaccine safety and efficacy.

Local vaccination opportunities

Visit our Vaccination clinics for COVID-19 webpage for information on clinic dates, times, and locations. Eligible clients can attend a walk-in vaccination clinic or book an appointment online at covid-19.ontario.ca/book-vaccine or by calling 705.522.9200 (toll-free 1.866.522.9200) between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday. Clients can also contact a local participating pharmacy, primary care provider, or health centre.

Additional information

For more information on the COVID-19 vaccines, as well as for specific answers to your frequently asked questions visit our FAQ web page or call Public Health Sudbury & Districts at 705.522.9200 (toll-free 1.866.522.9200).

Sincerely,

Original Signed By

Dr. Penny Sutcliffe
Medical Officer of Health and Chief Executive Officer

NOTE: All Advisory Alerts are found on our website.

This item was last modified on September 1, 2022