Vancouver has some of the province’s best COVID vaccination rates among children aged 5 to 11, but BCCDC data shows a disparity between certain neighbourhoods.
Vancouver Midtown, the Local Health Area (LHA) which includes the neighbourhoods of Kensington, Mount Pleasant, and South Cambie/Riley Park has a first dose vaccination rate of 75 per cent for the age group as of Jan. 25, 2022. On the other hand, Vancouver Centre North, the LHA which includes the Downtown Eastside, Northeast False Creek, and Grandview-Woodland has a vaccination rate of 60 per cent for the same group.
On the whole, Vancouver Coastal Health has better child vaccination rates than every other health authority in the province with only LHAs like Greater Victoria and the Saanich Peninsula reaching 73 and 72 per cent respectively. The Fraser Health Authority's highest child vaccination rates can be found in Burnaby and New Westminster but are currently sitting at 65 per cent for the youngest set of British Columbians eligible for the shot.
Appointments for second doses started this week for the first eligible B.C. kids, based on an eight-week interval from the time of their first shot. As such, VCH is starting to see a few second-dose percentage points in the neighbourhoods with the highest first dose uptake.
Other Vancouver LHA vaccination rates for kids ages 5 to 11:
- Vancouver Northeast - 67 per cent
- Cedar Cottage, Hastings-Sunrise, Renfrew-Collingwood.
- Cedar Cottage, Hastings-Sunrise, Renfrew-Collingwood.
- Vancouver Westside - 69 per cent
- Shaughnessy/Arbutus Ridge/Kerrisdale, West Point Grey/Dunbar-Southlands, University of British Columbia, Kitsilano
- Shaughnessy/Arbutus Ridge/Kerrisdale, West Point Grey/Dunbar-Southlands, University of British Columbia, Kitsilano
- Vancouver South - 63 per cent
- Killarney, Oakridge/Marpole, Sunset, Victoria-Fraserview
- Killarney, Oakridge/Marpole, Sunset, Victoria-Fraserview
- Vancouver City Centre - 65 per cent
- Downtown Vancouver, West End, Fairview
Number of children being hospitalized
When it comes to how the virus is affecting children, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry highlighted a change in B.C.'s COVID-19 briefing on Jan. 25.
“What we are seeing is that five-to-11-year-olds, thankfully, remain at low risk of severe disease, but the number of children being hospitalized because of infections has gone up, as the number of infections has gone up across our communities," Henry said.
“In addition, we have new and reassuring real-world safety data from millions and millions of young children who have been protected through vaccination."
For those parents awaiting invitations to book their child's second dose, Henry offered assurance that B.C.'s Get Vaccinated system will be sending those invites.
Want to get your child vaccinated?
In order to be vaccinated, five-to-11-year-olds must first be registered in B.C.'s Get Vaccinated system, after which time an invitation will be sent (by text or email) to book an appointment.
You can find all the information online at B.C.'s pediatric vaccine webpage, or call the central vaccination line at 1-833-838-2323.
With files from Julie MacLellan
