'Very emotional': Excitement as first COVID-19 vaccines administered to kids 5-11 in Manitoba
The first COVID-19 vaccine appointments for children ages 5-11 in Manitoba occurred Wednesday afternoon and it was an emotional moment for Krista Clark, a mother of two.
“I am very excited,” Clark said while holding back tears. “It’s very emotional and I am super excited for my kids.”
She said she was lucky to snag two appointments for her children Jacob, 10, and Mary-elle, 8, on the first day of vaccination.
The two siblings were jumping for joy outside of the RBC Convention Centre ahead of their first-dose appointment.
“Once everyone gets vaccinated, we won’t have to close school and sports, and like we can go back to our normal lives,” said Jacob.
He remembers how excited he was a few days ago when his mom told him and his sister it was their turn to get the shot.
“I felt like, ‘yay we’re finally going to get vaccinated,’ like, I don’t have to worry about cancelling sports because I’m a goalie in hockey and it’s like really important to me.”
Jacob said he has been talking about it with his friends who are also getting vaccinated in the coming days.
“I know that a couple of my friends are also getting vaccinated today and after this, we are going to go to Boston Pizza and have a celebratory dinner,” he said.
Krista said this year has been much better than last year for her two kids.
“Because there was no hockey for him, no activities for either of them,” she said. “The more people get vaccinated, the more opportunities we have to return to normal and that’s what we want.”
Now that the kids have their first dose, Krista said she is most excited to see family members who do not live in Manitoba.
“Now for the holidays, I feel a lot more confident that we can take my kids home and see their grandparents for Christmas so we are pretty excited about that.”
Krista also said she is feeling hopeful knowing how many other Manitoba parents have already booked their children in for their first doses.
Dr. Joss Reimer said as of Wednesday afternoon more than 23,000 pediatric appointments had been booked in Manitoba, and the number is growing.
The province has previously said there are about 125,000 children in the 5-11-year-old age group.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
LIVE B.C. seeks ban on using drugs in 'all public spaces,' shifting approach to decriminalization
The B.C. government is moving to have drug use banned in 'all public spaces,' marking a major shift in the province's approach to decriminalization.
Air traveller complaints to Canadian Transportation Agency hit new high
The Canadian Transportation Agency has hit a record high of more than 71,000 complaints in a backlog. The quasi-judicial regulator and tribunal tasked with settling disputes between customers and the airlines says the backlog is growing because the number of incoming complaints keeps increasing.
Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
U.S. flight attendant indicted in attempt to record teen girl in airplane bathroom
An American Airlines flight attendant was indicted Thursday after authorities said he tried to secretly record video of a 14-year-old girl using an airplane bathroom last September.
76ers All-Star centre Joel Embiid says he has Bell's palsy
Philadelphia 76ers All-Star centre Joel Embiid has been diagnosed with Bell’s palsy, a form of facial paralysis he says has affected him since before the play-in tournament.
AFN chief says Air Canada offered a 15% discount after her headdress was mishandled
After the Assembly of First Nations' national chief complained to Air Canada about how staffers treated her and her ceremonial headdress on a flight this week, she says the airline responded by offering a 15 per cent discount on her next flight.
Trump's lawyers try to discredit testimony of prosecution's first witness in hush money trial
Donald Trump's defence team attacked the credibility Friday of the prosecution's first witness in his hush money case, seeking to discredit testimony detailing a scheme between Trump and a tabloid to bury negative stories to protect the Republican's 2016 presidential campaign.