Vaccinations for Five- to 11-Year-Olds

The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) will be offering pediatric vaccines at both walk-in clinics and by appointment.

Information on booking your appointment or finding a clinic near you is available.

Vaccinations will also be available for five- to 11-year-olds from Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) and Northern Inter-Tribal Health Authority (NITHA). Participating pharmacies may also provide vaccinations to this age group, based on vaccine availability.

Information on locations of participating pharmacies (use the Pediatric Pfizer filter) is available.

A primary dose series is a two-dose schedule like that for adults. However, pediatric vaccines (five to 11 years old) are a different formulation and/or dosage, depending upon the manufacturer, than the current formulations for 12 years and older.

Clinical trials showed children five to 11 years old had very good immune responses to the original COVID-19 vaccines.

You can read and/or print the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine for youth information, safety and after care sheets.

Children five to 11 years old may receive one COVID-19 vaccine booster dose (Pfizer vaccine) six months after completing their primary series. They may also receive a bivalent dose six months following their original COVID-19 vaccine booster dose.

Children five years and older who have COVID-19 should wait 3 months between their infection and getting a primary series COVID-19 vaccine dose and 6 months between their infection and a booster dose. Immunocompromised children should wait four to eight weeks between their infection and getting any COVID-19 vaccine.

Which vaccines are approved for my child?

Please visit the Health Canada site for information on approved vaccines.

My child is afraid of needles. Is there anything I can do to help?

Parents or guardians will be required to attend the clinic or appointment to support their child during vaccination. Children can bring comfort items with them such as stuffed toys. The SHA is focusing on family-friendly clinics and don't be surprised if you see a therapy dog or Santa at the clinic.

There are lots of good online resources for helping you make your child comfortable with suggestions for distractions or deep breaths and how to talk to your child about immunization.

Is it mandatory to get my child vaccinated? Can schools require vaccination?

Vaccinations are not mandatory in Saskatchewan.

My child is four but is in the same grade as the five-year-olds. Can they get immunized too?

Vaccinations are now available for children six months to five years. You can book family appointments so that all children can receive the COVID-19 vaccinations they are eligible for by calling 1-833-Sask-VAX (1-833-727-5829).

If vaccine clinics are held in schools, will my child be forced to get it?

No. Vaccinations are not mandatory. Parental consent is required for any vaccination for a five- to 11-year-old. Consent is required from only one parent.

If kids are less likely to get really sick, why does my child need to be vaccinated?

Children are at a lower risk of serious illness compared to adults, but they are still at risk from infection with COVID-19 and may face serious illness, complications and even death.

Not only can the COVID-19 disease make a child very ill, it can also lead to other conditions such as myocarditis/pericarditis – swelling of the heart and the lining surrounding it – or Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome (MIS-C), where different body parts such as the heart, lungs, kidneys, brain, skin, eyes, or gastrointestinal organs become inflamed, which is most common in children aged 5 to 11.

Early studies also show that children can get long COVID, indicating that one to four per cent of children with a COVID-19 infection had lasting symptoms. Symptoms include tiredness, headache, sore throat, and loss of smell. Children can get long COVID even after a mild illness.

Unvaccinated children are also a growing source of transmission. According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, children under 12 years now account for the highest number of new COVID-19 infections.

Immunizing your child not only protects them, but the rest of your household, your loved ones and your community by decreasing the risk of transmission, which in turn decreases the number of people who will become ill with COVID-19.

I'm worried that the vaccines were developed really fast. Are they safe for children?

Clinical trials indicate that COVID-19 vaccines have no safety concerns noted among children five to 11 years old. Children five to 11 years old had very good immune responses when they receive two doses as recommended (at least 21 days apart).

Will the vaccine change my child's DNA or cause infertility?

No. The vaccines are safe and very effective at preventing serious illness and death. The vaccine will not change DNA or cause infertility.

Will my child experience side effects from the COVID-19 vaccine?

It is possible your child may experience some side effects from receiving any vaccine. The side effects are usually mild and are a sign that the vaccine is working in the body to build protection against COVID-19.

Common side effects are a sore or red arm, tiredness, chills, fever, headache, nausea, and muscle/joint pain. Side effects usually go away after a few days.

What are the serious side effects of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines in children?

No new or unexpected serious side effects were seen in the Pfizer vaccine trials for children. Serious side effects, like anaphylaxis (a severe allergy), after immunization are rare – occurring in 0.025% percent of all Pfizer COVID-19 immunizations to people over the age of 12.

Inflammation of the heart (myocarditis) and of the sac around the heart (pericarditis) can happen rarely after COVID-19 vaccines. These conditions are more likely for young males aged 12-29 after their second dose, are usually mild and are treatable with rest and anti-inflammatory medicines. There were no instances of myo/pericarditis identified in clinical trials for 5-11 year old children.

These conditions happen far more often after a COVID-19 infection than after immunization.

What are the long-term side effects of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines in children?

There is no evidence of any long-term side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine in children. mRNA vaccines, such as the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, have been studied in humans since 2013 with no known long-term effects. Vaccines do not impact fertility or alter your genes (DNA).

How can I treat my child's COVID‑19 vaccine side effects?

If your child feels pain or discomfort where they got their COVID‑19 vaccine, try placing a cool, wet washcloth on the area. Encourage them to exercise or move the area.

Pain or fever-reducing medications may be given to your child if they are experiencing side effects. Make sure you always give your child the appropriate dose of any medication. Offer plenty of fluids to encourage hydration.

It is not recommended that you give your child any pain-relieving medications before they get their COVID‑19 vaccine to prevent side effects.

My child has additional medical issues or allergies. Is it safe for them to be vaccinated?

Yes, the COVID‑19 vaccine is safe and recommended for children with chronic or underlying medical conditions.

Children with certain medical conditions – including diabetes, sickle cell disease, cancer, cystic fibrosis, kidney disease and more – may be more likely to get severely ill if they get COVID‑19. Therefore, it's even more important to make sure these children get vaccinated.

There will be specialized clinics for children with additional needs (eg autism, in hospital). Details on these clinics are being finalized to best serve the needs of these children and their families and will be announced in the coming days.

How far apart will the vaccines be for children 5-11? Will children need boosters?

Children five to 11 years old have very good immune responses when they receive doses as recommended. There is evidence than an eight-week interval between the first and second doses of COVID-19 vaccines result in better and more durable immune response with lower risk of side effects. Doses may be provided at shorter interval with informed consent.

At this time, one bivalent booster dose is recommended for this age group, six months after the completion of primary series or a previous original strain booster dose to prevent serious COVID-19 disease.

Yes. In most cases the seasonal influenza vaccine will be available at the same clinics offering the pediatric vaccination.

My child already had COVID; should they still get vaccinated?

Yes. Your child should get immunized with a recommended three month interval between infection and primary series vaccination and a 6 month interval is recommended between infection and a booster dose to ensure stronger immune response. Studies have shown that the vaccines can trigger a COVID‑19 immune response stronger than the one naturally present in people who had COVID‑19, as well as providing longer lasting protection.

How will I get proof of vaccination for my child?

Parents/guardians are able to access their child's immunization record through MySaskHealthRecord. Parents/guardians must have an account themselves, and the child's information can be linked. Parents/guardians with MySaskHealthRecord who have not already made a request for access to a child's immunization record are encouraged to do so. Those 14 and older must have their own account.

I'm scared of needles. Will getting the vaccine hurt?

The needle will pinch but only for a few seconds. There are things that you can do to make it hurt less like taking some deep breaths, wiggling your fingers and counting to 10.

Do I have to get vaccinated?

Getting vaccinated keeps you from getting really sick. It will be up to your mom or dad or guardian whether you get vaccinated.

Do I need a booster, like adults?

A COVID-19 vaccine booster dose will help keep you from getting really sick. You are eligible to get a booster dose six months after your last COVID-19 vaccine.

Is the vaccine the same one as adults get?

The vaccine is a little bit different because it is made especially for younger children. There is also a smaller amount of the vaccine needed.

Do kids really need the COVID-19 vaccine?

Many kids have had COVID and some have been fine but some have been very, very sick. A vaccine will help to make sure that you don't get very sick. It will be up to your parents or guardian to decide if you are to be vaccinated.

What if I want to get the vaccine, but my parents/caregivers don't want me to? Or I do not want the vaccine, but my parent/caregivers want me to get vaccinated?

Talk to your parents or guardian about your feelings about whether you want the vaccine or do not want the vaccine. It will be up to parents or guardians whether a child is vaccinated. Parental/guardian consent must be provided in order for anyone aged five to 11 to be vaccinated.

Is the COVID-19 vaccine safe?

The vaccine is safe. It has been tested on many, many children and there were no serious side effects and it kept those children from getting very sick. The vaccine had to be approved by Health Canada in order to be used.

What are the side effects of getting the vaccine?

You will probably have a sore arm for a little while. Some people do not feel anything after getting vaccinated. You may feel tired and achy or chilled but that goes away in a day or two.