Canadian parents say they’re being made to “feel guilty” when they’re wary about vaccinating their kindergarten-age children, says Blacklock’s Reporter..“Participants had a number of questions regarding vaccines,” said the research for the Privy Council Office..“Most commonly focused on side effects and potential long term implications of their use.”.The Department of Health on November 19 approved a Pfizer-BioNtech vaccination for children aged 5 to 11 but only 23% of eligible children are fully vaccinated..Researchers said parents in Calgary focus groups said they had “legitimate concerns about the possible side effects and long term impacts of a drug that, in their view, had been rushed to market for emergency use and remained largely untested in children.”.The Pfizer shots were approved in Canada following a month-long review of data from the manufacturer..Toronto focus groups found parents “objected to what they saw as an attempt to make them feel guilty and worried about the well-being of their children.” Mothers and fathers were not anti-science but “vaccine hesitant,” said the report..“Among the vaccine hesitant groups many were open to changing their views once more data were available or said they had become more open to the vaccine already after seeing cases and hospitalizations drop. Those who remained opposed were concerned about choice and personal freedom as well as the safety of the vaccines, with many stating a preference for following restrictions such as mask wearing,” said the report..Findings were based on focus groups nationwide. The Privy Council paid $1.6 million for the report by The Strategic Counsel as part of a year-long series of questionnaires on various topics..“Among parents, opinions were mixed,” said the report:.“Some were interested and either discussing it with their children or had made the decision themselves to go ahead, while others were hesitant and wanted to wait for more data to be made available concerning safety.”.The Public Health Agency in a November 16 briefing note said the coronavirus did not pose a serious risk to young children. The agency counted two deaths out of some five million children aged 5 to 11.
