New Brunswick children aged five to 11 began receiving their first dose of the pediatric COVID-19 vaccine on Friday.
More than 9,300 appointments had been booked at regional health authority clinics as of Friday morning, according to Health Minister Dorothy Shephard.
Public Health says more clinics have already been added in the Moncton and Fredericton regions to meet the demand.
Officials said more than 130 pharmacies will soon take part in dispensing doses of the pediatric vaccine. They are expected to begin receiving shipments next Thursday.
Health officials say information on booking appointments at these locations will be available soon.
Just in: Health Minister Dorothy Shephard says as of early this morning, more than 9,300 COVID-19 vaccine appointments had been booked for children aged 5-11.
That's an increase of about 1,000 over yesterday.
— Brad Perry (@BradMPerry) November 26, 2021
The topic of COVID-19 vaccinations for kids came up during question period in the legislature on Friday.
Interim Opposition leader Roger Melanson questioned how the government will educate parents about the vaccine’s safety and efficacy.
“You’ll be seeing some Facebook Live presentations by Dr. [Jennifer] Russell and Dr. [Rachel] Ouellette, who spoke to the public on Tuesday, helping parents understand the safety and efficacy of the vaccine,” said Shephard.
Shephard said they will also have materials available on the Government of New Brunswick websites.
The health minister said a rollout plan will be brought forward next week.
