Pfizer COVID vaccine bookings open for 5-11 year-olds in Canberra

About 46,000 children in the territory will be eligible to receive their first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine from January 10, when appointments begin.

The last cohort to become eligible for their first doses, vaccination of 5-11 year-olds as well as a strong booster uptake will be crucial for Canberra as case rates climb in NSW and Victoria in the leadup to Christmas.

The ACT reported 18 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday, leaving the daily case load in the teens after it jumped from seven on Wednesday to 11 on Thursday.

Three people were in hospital, with none in intensive care, while there were 1721 negative test results received.

Waiting times at testing sites continued to grow through the weekend, with some reporting they were turned away from tests at a new site in Mitchell on Sunday, opened to replace the EPIC drive-through site.

NSW reported another record-breaking number of daily cases on Sunday with 2566 cases, while Victoria saw 1240 new infections, as the deputy chief medical officer Dr Sonya Bennett urged Australians to continue wearing masks, particularly indoors.

ACT Minister for Health Rachel Stephen-Smith said in a statement the bookings for 5-11 year-olds were opening "so the ACT will be ready as soon as we receive the children's vaccine supply next month".

READ MORE:

"I know many Canberra parents are very keen to get their children vaccinated so they are better protected from the effects of COVID-19," Minister Stephen-Smith said.

She said that though children "are less likely to suffer the more severe effects of COVID-19", kids had been infected with the virus in the territory throughout the pandemic, and had transmitted it.

"The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for 5 to 11 year-olds has been approved and recommended as a safe and effective vaccine, but if parents and carers have questions about COVID-19 vaccinations for their children, they should talk to their trusted health professional," she said.

Bookings are only available over the phone on 02 5124 7700 between 7am and 7pm, seven days a week.

Our coverage of the health and safety aspects of this outbreak of COVID-19 in the ACT is free for anyone to access. However, we depend on subscription revenue to support our journalism. If you are able, please subscribe here. If you are already a subscriber, thank you for your support. You can also sign up for our newsletters for regular updates.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: