Do children need parental consent for jab?
Toronto tweens don’t, but policy differs for other public health units
Dozens of children flocked to the playground of Gordon A. Brown Middle School on Wednesday afternoon to eagerly await their first dose of the Pfizer vaccine.
Most were accompanied by parents, or older siblings, as the East York school announced Wednesday morning it would launch a pop-up clinic that afternoon.
Many parents had already been vaccinated — they were there to provide support. What they weren’t there for was to give permission. In Toronto, those 12-15 don’t need a parent or guardian to allow them to take the vaccine.
However, that’s not the same policy in other public health units.
Health Canada approved the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for those aged 12 to 15 on May 5, making Canada the first country to do so, with the hopes that school restrictions could be eased in the fall. Ontario had previously announced that shots would be open to 12 and older as of May 31. But on Friday they moved up that date to May 23.
Some public health units including Peel, York and Toronto have already started to offer shots to the age group.
But the regions have varied on whether those 12-15 need a parent or guardian to provide consent . And that means informing parents and children about the importance of the vaccine is critical, public health experts say.
Regardless of a public health unit’s rules, this age group is very capable of making a decision about their health, including the vaccine, said Dr. Saba Merchant, a pediatrician based in Vaughan.
“If the child does not have an intellectual disability, then they definitely have the capacity and the ability to make that decision,” she said.
So far, Merchant has mostly heard from eager parents wanting to get their child vaccinated, with some questions about safety. But it’s important that the young person has the opportunity to ask questions, and provide their own informed consent, whether the parents are supportive or not, she said.
The provincial Health Care Consent Act states there is no minimum age to provide consent for vaccination and a child does not need external permission to receive one.
Though tweens and teens are legally able to make health decisions and technically do not require parent or guardian permission to get the COVID-19 vaccine, the household will likely play a role in decision making, Merchant said.
And it’s essential that children and their families have continued access to the most up-todate information, and easily accessible vaccines, so there can be full confidence around getting the shot, she said.
Public health experts like Merchant and community organizers say that while this age group has the ability to access the vaccine without permission, it’s also important to ensure the shots are brought to familiar places like schools and community hubs.
In York, those 13 and under require a parent or guardian to attend to give verbal consent, or they need to sign a consent form.
Peel Region had initially asked a parent or guardian to provide “informed consent,” when announcing appointments would be open Thursday to anyone 12 and older, in a press release Wednesday morning.
Later that day, the region changed its tune, saying approval was no longer needed. Peel told the Star this was to remove barriers.
Toronto Public Health said it will not be asking for parent or guardian approval, citing the Health Care Consent Act.
By Thursday, Toronto had vaccinated nearly 37 per cent of those 16-19. Data is not available for under-16s.
At Gordon A. Brown on Wednesday, the line snaked from the gymnasium entrance all the way past a nearby childcare centre. Near the back stood Behrouz Amanollahi and his 13-year-old son, Ryan.
Like several parents the Star spoke to in line, Amanollahi said it was a no-brainer to take his youngest child to get vaccinated at his middle school.
Ryan said he’s also eager to get back to in-person learning. The province moved all classes online indefinitely after spring break in April due to a third wave of COVID-19 that is now beginning to subside.
“I miss talking to my friends,” he said. “I’ve waited quite a while for this, and I’m glad we’ll soon be returning to kind of normal life.”
The family had discussed Ryan’s vaccination and it was an easy decision, he said, as the rest of the family had already received first shots.
Young people should be treated like they are “real human beings with agency” who can make an informed choice about their health, said Michelle Mullen, a bioethicist at CHEO, a pediatric health-care and research centre in Ottawa.
“Especially in these circumstances, mostly what we need to do is helping parents understand how to listen to their kids, and helping kids understand the concerns that their folks have,” she said.
Children also understand that getting vaccinated is the ticket to possible normalcy — which is critical as a mental health crisis for the age group has emerged, said Mullen.
Town halls are being held so that families can feel confident about the vaccines and know the benefits, said Dr. Lennox Huang, chief medical officer and vice-president of medical and academic affairs at the Hospital for Sick Children.
Huang, also the executive sponsor of the Toronto Health Sector Youth Vaccination Table, said the organization is looking to ramp up efforts so that families are informed.
“Our goal will be to continue to expand what’s already been tremendously effective, which is to target specific hot spots and postal codes,” he said. “We know families may be more challenged in accessing health care.” The group is doing outreach through pop-ups with schools.