Parents and carers will be able to book a place for their children through the provincial portal from 8am. ET on July 28. at least six months have passed since their first. “The approval of a lower dose of Moderna pediatric vaccine will give families the opportunity to provide an extra layer of protection against COVID-19 for the youngest members of their families,” Health Secretary Sylvia Jones said in a news release. Health Canada approved Moderna’s vaccine for infants and preschoolers earlier this month. The doses are currently being shipped across Ontario, the health ministry said, and will be available through public health clinical units, as well as participating pediatricians, primary care providers and pharmacies. Parents and caregivers with questions about the vaccine are encouraged to speak with their primary care providers or call the District Vaccine Contact Center at 1-833-943-3900. They can also use the COVID-19 Vaccine Counseling Service to speak with a registered nurse at SickKids. Dr. Kieran Moore, Ontario’s chief medical officer of health, also encouraged parents and caregivers to vaccinate their children against COVID-19, particularly if they have underlying health conditions. “Although most children who become infected have no symptoms or mild symptoms, some may become very ill and require hospitalization. The vaccine offered to children aged six months to under five years is a lower dose that is safe and effective in protecting of this age group from COVID-19,” Moore said in the press release.
COVID-19 cases, hospitals are on the rise
The news comes as weekly numbers of COVID-19 cases in Ontario increased by 28 per cent from July 10 to July 16 among those eligible for testing, according to the latest epidemiological summary from Public Health Ontario. Hospital admissions continued to rise over the same period, rising to 405 from 325 the previous week — in line with the trend of rising admissions since the start of the seventh wave. Hospital admissions increased the week of July 10, rising from 325 the previous week to 405. (Public Health Ontario) Deaths have remained “relatively stable,” the report said, noting that Ontario has reported 29 to 40 weekly deaths since the start of the ongoing wave, which began in mid-June. Settings reporting the largest increases in cases during the week of July 10 include hospitals (79 percent) and group homes/supportive homes, with a 104 percent increase. Cases in high-risk settings increased by 31%, the report notes. Meanwhile, case rates rose in every age group in Ontario, with those 80 and older seeing case rates several times higher than other groups, jumping 56 per cent from the previous week. Confirmed cases of the disease have increased in 32 of Ontario’s 34 public health units, the report notes, with the northwest region having case rates about three times higher than other regions.
Extension of paid sick days
Meanwhile, the Ontario government is extending its paid sick leave program until the end of March, allowing residents who lose work due to COVID-19 to have three days off. The program was set to expire at the end of this month. Prime Minister Doug Ford’s government first announced the temporary sick leave plan in the spring of 2021. This comes after the province faced strong calls to implement such a policy to minimize the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace. Opposition parties and other critics are calling on the government to extend the program by offering more days. Under the current program, eligible workers can receive up to $200 a day for up to three days if they need to be tested, vaccinated, self-isolate or care for a family member with COVID -19.
