Ottawa leading Ontario in vaccinating children ages 5-11
One-quarter of Ottawa children between five and 11 years old have received their first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, the highest rate of any public health unit in Ontario.
More than 19,000 newly eligible children have received their shots since appointments began last Friday, Ottawa Public Health says. That’s about 25 per cent of all children in that age group.
The rate outpaces the provincewide pace so far. As of Friday, nearly 155,000 Ontario children aged five to 11 had received their first doses—about 14.4 per cent.
Ottawa’s uptake among children is the highest among all of Ontario’s 34 public health units. Timiskaming is second at 23.7 per cent, and Algoma District is next at 22.4 per cent.
Ottawa Public Health has said it has the capacity to vaccinate 77,000 eligible children between five and 11 years old within four weeks. The uptake so far puts the health unit on pace to meet that goal.
"We remain confident that there is enough system capacity in Ottawa to ensure that any five to 11 child who would like a vaccine can receive a vaccine," OPH said in a statement Friday.
The health unit is ramping up efforts to vaccinate children beyond appointments at community clinics through the provincial portal.
It’s holding pop-up clinics at 73 different schools this month. They started yesterday and run through Dec. 23.
You can find a list of clinics happening this week here.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Saskatoon police to search landfill for remains of woman missing since 2020
Saskatoon police say they will begin searching the city’s landfill for the remains of Mackenzie Lee Trottier, who has been missing for more than three years.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.