Children Under 12 Leading New COVID-19 Infections Across Canada: PHAC

Children under 12 are now leading the country in new COVID-19 infections as they await approval for vaccination, Canada’s top doctors say.

In new national data released Friday, Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) officials said during the fourth wave, infections in that age group surpassed those of all other age groups for the first time in the pandemic.

The trend comes as vaccination increases in older age groups, while children under 12 await approval for a jab.

“This is why, beyond protecting individuals against severe outcomes and easing the strain on the health system, increasing vaccination coverage across the community is also important for helping to limit spread to children who are too young to be vaccinated, and thereby to reduce spread into schools and beyond,” officials said in a briefing note.

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“In particular, for young adults who are parents or close contacts of children under 12 years of age, getting vaccinated, is an important way to contribute to their protection against COVID-19 and to help keep them in school and doing the activities they love.”

3:50What parents need to know about COVID-19 vaccines for kids

What parents need to know about COVID-19 vaccines for kids Officials added majority of cases among children do not involve severe illness, in fact less than one per cent of cases in children and youth up to 19 years of age have been severely sick. To date, more than 350,000 cases have been reported in that age range.

More to come.