In case you missed it, in their ongoing commitment to “following the science”, which science still remains in question, Health Canada has approved Pfizer’s COVID-19 booster vaccine for children five to 11 years old following approval two months ago of the same shot for individuals 12 years and older.

“After a thorough and independent scientific review of the evidence, Health Canada has determined that the Pfizer-BioNTech Comirnaty Omicron BA.4/BA.5 bivalent-adapted booster vaccine for children 5 to 11 years of age is safe and effective and that its benefits outweigh any potential risks,” the department said in a news release on Dec. 9. Which “evidence” well they didn’t say, but no need to worry your pretty little head, just trust them!

“Bivalent” means that the vaccine causes the immune system to create antibodies against two different strains of COVID-19: the original strain and an Omicron strain.

The announcement comes several months after Health Canada approved the use of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for children between the ages of six months and 5 years. The federal agency approved Moderna’s vaccine for children of the same age group in July.

“Vaccinating your child does more than protect them. It helps keep communities safe,” said Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos on July 14, the day Moderna’s vaccine was approved for Canada’s youngest children. Yes Minister some vaccines do that, but making that claim as if all vaccines were equal, is a bit of mis-information now isn’t Minister?

“I encourage all parents to get their kids vaccinated,” Duclos wrote in a Twitter post. Thankfully they’re not all listening sir!

Federal government statistics on vaccination as of Oct. 9 showed that less than seven percent of children under five years old received a COVID vaccine

As of Dec. 4, just over 50 percent of Canadians aged 5 and older had received a first booster dose and 23 percent had received a second booster shot. My question given their risk profile to the parents of these children would be, why??

Duclos addressed pediatric vaccination in late November, saying that COVID vaccines and boosters for children remain important.

“Vaccination is something that has made a huge difference in COVID-19 and we know it is particularly valuable right now as our children are suffering for all from all sorts of respiratory viruses,” the federal health minister said in Ottawa on Nov. 23.

By “huge difference in Covid-19” what exactly does that mean, given we know it doesn’t stop transmission or acquisition according to the manufacturer?

“Now is the time to get vaccinated and to be protected,” he said, adding, “Christmas is coming, too, so you want to be safer in our family environment.”

Yes Jean-Yves you’re right the protection offered is just as real as, well Santa Claus!