Toys, snacks and a jab

Niagara opens its first kid-friendly vaccine clinic

Staff at Niagara Region Public Health’s first COVID-19 vaccine clinic for children aged five to 11 were giving their young patients plenty of time to feel comfortable about getting their shots.

Public health nurses opened the pediatric vaccine clinic to its first 100 patients Friday, at the Meridian Community Centre in Pelham. There were plenty of distractions to keep nervous children from worrying about getting the needle.

Clinic program manager Kim Friesen said public health started slowly, limiting itself to 100 appointments to ensure the clinic ran smoothly.

But with about 32,500 children in the five-to-11 age group to vaccinate, she said, they plan to quickly ramp up appointments as participating pharmacies and medical offices pitch in as well.

“This is pretty exciting,” said mass immunization clinic supervisor Teryl Larmand, preparing to welcome the first young patients. “We’ve been waiting a long time for this.”

Friesen said the nurses will allow more time for each child who arrives for a vaccination.

“We absolutely are going to take more time — two to three times more than we’d have planned for an adult, right now especially, until we can see how the flow goes,” she said.

So far, health-care workers have fully vaccinated 75.4 per cent of Niagara residents, 77.9 per cent have received their first jabs, and 1,289 more doses of vaccine were administered Thursday.

Public health reported 24 new

infections Friday, and 177 active cases throughout the region. Ten patients are being treated for the virus at Niagara Health hospitals, including one in intensive care.

Friesen said staff are trying to make the experience as pleasant as possible for children, including giving them small, colourful toys to keep them busy while they get their shots.

“These are what we think are good distractions,” she said, holding a tray of toys children can bring home with them. “They can fidget with those, and it will help to distract them during the procedures.”

She said kids will also be able to use tablet computers to watch children’s videos while they’re getting vaccinated and their parents are speaking to the nurses.

The children can then get their picture taken in a frame that reads: “I stuck it to COVID.” While they wait 15 minutes to ensure they have no side effects, they’ll be given a book to read or a picture to colour.

Finally, the young patients will be offered a piece of candy as they’re leaving.

“At Halloween, we went out and bought every peanut-free candy we could find,” Friesen said.

While public health staff expect many of the children to eagerly roll up their sleeves — following the lead of their parents, older friends and relatives — Larmand said they’re also prepared to work with more reluctant kids.

“We want our vaccines to be driven by the children, so we will talk to them and make sure they are comfortable. We will ask them what makes them comfortable and helps them relax,” she said.

Public health plans to temporarily stop vaccinating people 12 and older as of Sunday, after clinics wrap up at MacBain Community Centre in Niagara Falls, École Secondaire FrancoNiagara in Welland and the St. Catharines Kiwanis Aquatics Centre.

For the weeks to come, all public health clinics will be exclusively for the five to 11 age group. Pharmacies and primary care doctors will still be vaccinating people 12 and older.

Upcoming children’s clinics are planned for Pelham’s Meridian Community Centre on Saturday, the Port Colborne Visitors Centre on Sunday, Fort Erie Leisureplex on Sunday and Monday, at MacBain Community Centre in Niagara Falls from Sunday to Tuesday, at West Lincoln Agricultural Building starting Monday, and at Wainfleet Firefighters’ Community Hall starting Wednesday.

Friesen said a large children’s clinic will be set up at the Canada One Outlet Mall in Niagara Falls starting Wednesday, followed by a clinic at the Pen Centre starting Dec. 14.