Updates to Hamilton’s pediatric COVID-19 vaccination program

Hamilton Public Health Services’ top priority continues to be this opportunistic and hyper-localized strategy to increase the administration of first, second, third doses of COVID-19 vaccines. This strategy will ensure protection against COVID-19 is equally distributed across populations, the community, and neighbourhoods and school communities with lower vaccine coverage rates. Furthermore, residents will benefit from access to tailored information and vaccines that are accessible at convenient locations and times.

Learn about eligibility, available locations, hours of operation and how to book at www.hamilton.ca/GetYourVaccine.  This includes a wide variety of clinic options, such as large fixed-site, primary care led, school-based, neighbourhood pharmacy, community partner led, the Ministry of Health led GO-VAXX, and mobile vaccination clinics in Hamilton, accessible to students, families, school staff and the broader community. 

COVID-19 Vaccination Distribution in Hamilton among schools

In alignment with the City of Hamilton’s commitment to transparency, and sharing relevant and timely data with the community, effective today, Hamilton Public Health Services is publishing COVID-19 vaccination rate estimates of students ages five to 11 on the City’s COVID-19 Vaccination Distribution dashboard’s “Vaccination in Hamilton Schools” table.

With lower vaccine coverage rates across the five to 11 population at this time, it is difficult to draw conclusions between COVID-19 vaccine uptake and geography within Hamilton. Whereas, the school vaccination coverage estimates for the 12 to 17 population initially published on November 15, 2021, correlated with a community’s socioeconomic status and has been consistent with what is seen in Hamilton’s general population. It’s important to note, COVID-19 vaccination rates similar to vaccine coverage rates of required vaccines under the Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA)—are not reflective of school performance; rather, is rooted in the social determinants of health which differ across school communities.

Quick Facts

• Hamilton Healthcare Partners continue to make progress in vaccinating eligible community members. To date, 86.5 per cent of eligible Hamiltonians receiving a vaccine to date, and 81.4 per cent fully vaccinated - 1,174,757 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered, including 262,393 third and booster doses. 47.9 per cent of children aged five to 11 have received a first dose. Eligibility was expanded to this population on November 23, 2021.
• The refreshed school vaccination coverage estimates on the City’s dashboard, includes those students eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine who live in Hamilton, and was confirmed by linking COVID-19 vaccine records from the Province’s COVAX database and local school boards’ enrolment lists through the Panorama database. In total, this updated analysis included 77,744 COVID-19 vaccine eligible students (ages five to 17) at 187 local schools and does not differentiate between those eligible students enrolled in in-person learning or those learning remotely.
• The National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) recommends an interval of at least eight weeks between the first and second dose since emerging evidence in adults suggests that compared to shorter intervals, longer intervals between the first and second doses result in a stronger immune response, higher vaccine effectiveness that is expected to last longer, and may be associated with a lower risk of myocarditis and/or pericarditis in adolescents and young adults.
• Based on the NACI recommendation, Hamilton Public Health Services advises community members that eight weeks is recommended for best immune response and decreased risk of myocarditis and/or pericarditis, however and as per our clinical protocol and with informed consent, Hamilton Public Health Services permits bookings of a 21-day interval between first and second doses. Community members may wish to consult with their family’s general practitioner, pediatrician or local pharmacist to understand benefits and risks.
• The Pfizer BioNTech mRNA COVID-19 vaccine supply is limited across all Hamilton COVID-19 vaccine clinics. The Pfizer mRNA COVID-19 vaccine will be reserved for those individuals under the age of 30 for 1st, 2nd and 3rd doses until further notice. Individuals over the age of 30 will be offered the Moderna mRNA COVID-19 vaccine when arriving at a vaccine clinic. 
• Vaccine administration rates may differ based on local context. All vaccination planning is based on and contingent on available COVID-19 vaccine supply and the necessary health and human resources.
• It is vital that members of the public, even those who have been vaccinated, ensure that public health measures still be practiced until it is safe and said to be safe by the health professionals in all levels of government.