Why should young children get the COVID-19 vaccine?

There are three broad benefits of vaccination for children aged five to 11:

1. Protection against COVID-19.  While the virus is more serious for older people, some children have faced severe outcomes or long COVID-19 symptoms.
   
2. Avoiding disruptions to their school, family and social activities. Fewer disruptions mean a return to a more normal way of life, and that is good for children’s mental and physical health. Children with COVID-19 will likely be able to return to activities sooner if they are vaccinated.
   
3. Help protect those around your children. Even if your child doesn’t develop severe illness or outcomes, they could spread the virus to others. The sooner more Manitobans are fully immunized, the sooner everyone is better protected and able to get back to a more normal way of life.

The vaccine clinical trial found the vaccine to be 90.7% effective at preventing symptomtic infections. While rare, those who did develop a COVID infection after vaccination had fewer signs and symptoms. This has the potential for vaccinated children to lose fewer days of school and extracurricular activities.

Fewer disruptions to children’s lives, along with decreasing their fear about getting infected or infecting someone they love, will benefit children’s mental and physical health too. 

Further Reading

Doctors say the kids’ COVID-19 vaccine is a booster for mental health (CBC article)