(from the files of Brendan Pawliw MYPGNow staff)
BC Teachers Federation President Teri Mooring stated we are not getting a complete picture from parents on how they can best access a COVID-19 vaccine for their children.
Last week, Dr. Bonnie Henry said mass vaccination clinics in schools during instructional hours have not been well attended and the majority of parents want to be with their kids when it’s their turn to be immunized.
However, Mooring told Vista Radio this approach isn’t possible for some families.
“Who we are not hearing from are probably families that work one or two jobs, maybe headed by a single-parent who just can’t find the time or the access to vaccinations for their children even though they may very well want their children to be vaccinated.”
“For the parents that work full time and aren’t able to easily access the vaccines, for them, it would be much more convenient for their child to be vaccinated in school like they are for other childhood diseases. We think that ought to be an option.”
According to the BC Centre for Disease Control, 64% of 12-17 year-olds in Northern Health have two doses of vaccine, lagging well behind the provincial mark of 83%.
For the 5-11 age group, the first dose rate in the north is 28%, while the BC mark is 45%.
On Friday, Health Minister Adrian Dix noted 192,706 children between the ages of 5-11 have been registered to get their vaccine. Of that total, 155,746 vaccines have been administered to youth so far.
But Mooring is of the opinion the numbers should be higher than what they are.
“It was higher for the 12-17-year-old grouping and so that is unfortunate. But, what that is telling us more work needs to be done.”
To find the latest vaccination progress by age in the province or by health authority, click here.
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