Westwind School Division provides vaccine update

By Nikki Jamieson
Southern Alberta Newspapers

Westwind School Division says that vaccinations will not take place in school.
In a statement on their website dated Nov. 25, the division said they were asked to share that parents can book COVID-19 vaccine appointments for children ages 5-11 through the online booking system or by calling Healthlink at 8-1-1.
Health Canada had approved the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for those aged 5-11 on Nov. 19. Parents or guardians of children in that age group could start booking vaccine appointments for them last month.
In WSD’s statement, it said that the Canadian Pediatric Society recommend that all eligible children should get vaccinated against COVID-19. Vaccinations will not be taking place in their schools, and that parent or guardian consent is required for children to get their vaccine, which can be provided either in-person at the vaccine appointment or with a signed consent form.
“K-12 students are not required to have a vaccination of any kind to attend Westwind schools, and no student will be denied access to an education based on their vaccination status,” reads the statement. “Westwind School Division will continue to recognize and respect parents as the primary decision-makers for their children regarding COVID vaccinations. We encourage our parents and guardians to seek out reliable and factual information to inform their decisions on vaccines for their children.”
The province is encouraging parents and guardians to talk with their pediatrician or family physician about getting their children immunized. As of Nov. 28, 62.7 per cent of the population of the Cardston-Kainai region has received both doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, and one per cent of those ages 5-11 have received one dose of a vaccine.

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