Ontario is expanding eligibility for the COVID-19 booster vaccine for children ages five and older starting Thursday, before students return to school next week.
Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore announced Wednesday that booster screenings for children between the ages of five and 11 will be open starting at 8 a.m. on Sept. 1.
“We encourage parents to take steps to get this booster for your children in this age group, especially for those children with co-existing medical conditions that may put them at higher risk,” Moore said during a press conference.
Eligible children can receive their third dose, also known as the first booster dose, at a recommended interval of at least six months after their last dose.
Parents and caregivers can book appointments through the COVID-19 Vaccination Portal or by calling the Provincial Vaccine Contact Center at 1-833-943-3900.
A second booster dose is currently available for 12- to 17-year-olds and can be given six months after their first booster dose.
In late July, children under the age of five were able to receive their first dose of vaccine after Health Canada approved Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine for infants and preschoolers.
As for older residents, the Ontario government extended eligibility for a fourth dose to all adults in July.
Individuals aged 18 and over are eligible for a second booster dose at a recommended five-month interval after their first booster dose.
The province confirmed that a new bivalent vaccine is expected to be released to residents in late fall and will specifically target the Omicron variant. Moore said those at low risk of severe outcomes can wait until that vaccine becomes available, but he cautioned that vaccination protection wanes over time and that people should make decisions about whether to wait based on how long ago they received their last dose and their specific health circumstances.
Moore also announced updated isolation guidelines to manage COVID-19 this fall, including eliminating the mandatory five-day isolation rule for individuals who test positive for COVID-19.
Now, people who feel sick must self-isolate while symptomatic and can return to work or school 24 hours after their symptoms end, and must wear masks for about 10 days when in public.
VOLUNTARY USE OF MASKS IN SCHOOL
Moore reiterated that an influx of infections is expected across the province this fall as more people huddle indoors, despite signs that the current seventh wave of the pandemic has arrived.
He said the best way Ontarians can protect themselves this fall is to wear a mask when necessary, keep up with vaccinations and stay home when they feel sick.
But masks are no longer mandatory in most places in the province after mask mandates were lifted on March 21, 2022, a year and a half after they were introduced.
The Department of Education has confirmed that students will not be required to wear masks in the upcoming school year, and masks will be voluntary and available to students upon request.
“We strongly encourage school boards and schools to foster a respectful and inclusive environment for students and staff who choose to wear a mask or not to school. We also ask that students and visitors continue to self-screen every day using the school and childcare screening tool available online,” Moore said.
This fall semester will be the first full term since the start of the pandemic in which Ontario students will not be required to wear masks.
Although they are no longer required, Moore recommends wearing masks indoors, especially for high-risk individuals.
“We know that masks are a proven means of limiting the spread of respiratory disease in the community. I especially want people who today are at high risk of severe consequences from this virus to continue to wear masks while moving indoors,” he said.
Infectious disease specialist Dr. Isaac Bogoch echoed this sentiment when he spoke to CP24 on Tuesday and said masks will help minimize the risk of contracting the disease.
“You can reduce your risk of getting COVID and other respiratory infections by wearing a mask indoors. And it’s not just for school, it’s any other indoor setting. That’s where we know the majority of COVID and other respiratory diseases are transmitted and you can reduce your risk,” he said.
Bogoch added that improved indoor ventilation and vaccinations will help reduce the risk of disease.
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