Survey: half of respondents plan to have children aged 5-11 vaccinated against COVID-19
Survey results by pollster Angus Reid suggest half of Canadian parents plan to have their elementary school-aged children vaccinated against COVID-19 right away.
Results released Monday show one in two of the 812 parents who responded will have their children vaccinated as soon as Health Canada approves one for the 5 to 11 age group.
Survey data indicated parents in Alberta were least likely to vaccinate their children in the specified age group, with 46 per cent affirming their intention to vaccinate as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, Ontario showed the strongest favourable response with 54 per cent and the Manitoba-Saskatchewan region close behind at 53 per cent.
Among those respondents who decided against ever obtaining any vaccine for their children, Quebec and Alberta were highest at 30 per cent and 29 per cent respectively.
Nationally, 18 per cent of parents said they planned to take a wait-and-see approach to having their children vaccinated. Nine per cent of the total survey respondents fell into the ‘Not Sure’ category.
In a release accompanying the results, Angus Reid noted that COVID-19 cases have been rising in younger children in many parts of the country.
Though children are at relatively low risk of serious illness from the virus, concerns about spread to vulnerable populations have health officials voicing support for vaccination among youngsters.
In September, Dr. Joss Reimer, medical lead of Manitoba’s Vaccine Implementation Task Force said the province is planning to be ready as soon as a COVID-19 vaccine is approved for younger children.
Reimer said the task force is looking at different options to provide that dose upon approval, which could include school-based immunizations.
“Regardless of whether or not we offer it in schools, we will still have medical clinics, our pharmacies, and, in more remote settings, our public health teams would be offering the vaccine to younger children once it’s approved,” Reimer said.
Angus Reid conducted a survey online from September 29 to Oct. 3 among a representative random sample of 5,011 adults. The company said a probability sample of this size would carry a margin of error of +/- 2.0 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
India's foreign minister reacts to murder charges, claims Canada welcomes criminals
India's Foreign Affairs Minister accused Canada of welcoming criminals from his country in response to the RCMP's recent arrests in a homicide that has roiled tensions between the two countries.
15-year-old boy stabbed in Ottawa on Thursday dies
A 15-year old boy who was critically injured after a stabbing in Nepean on Thursday has died of his injuries, Ottawa's English public school board said Sunday.
Dash cam catches moment suspected drunk driver hits parked car, sends it careening into North Shore flower shop
Police say it’s fortunate no one was injured or killed in a collision at North Vancouver’s Park and Tilford shopping centre Saturday evening that sent one vehicle careening into a flower shop and another into a set of concrete barriers outside a Winners store.
Actor Bernard Hill, of 'Titanic' and 'Lord of the Rings,' has died at 79
Actor Bernard Hill, who delivered a rousing cry before leading his people into battle in 'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King' and went down with the ship as the captain in 'Titanic,' has died.
'A tiny city:' Pro-Palestinian campus protesters organize for another week
Pro-Palestinian activists have set up tents at universities in Toronto, Ottawa, Vancouver and Montreal, following a wave of similar protests at campuses in the United States linked to the Israel-Hamas war.
Lawsuit against Meta asks if Facebook users have right to control their feeds using external tools
Do social media users have the right to control what they see — or don't see — on their feeds?
A Holocaust survivor will mark that history differently after the horrors of Oct. 7
This year's Holocaust Remembrance Day, which begins on Sunday evening in Israel, carries a heavier weight than usual for many Jews around the world.
Princess Anne lays wreath at Battle of Atlantic ceremony; honours late Queen
Princess Anne saluted Canadian veterans and current forces members and honoured her late mother during separate ceremonies Sunday in Victoria as she wrapped up a three-day British Columbia West Coast royal visit.
El Nino weakening doesn't mean cooler temperatures this summer, forecasters say
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.