Keeping up with information about COVID-19 can feel overwhelming. We asked parents about COVID-19 vaccines, and these were some of the questions they had.
“It still gives me some pause thinking about our children being kind of the first generation to have this new vaccine – and I trust the science and all of that, but I think I can understand some of that worry.”
– Listen to Mira (parent of 2 children aged 7 and 11)
It is normal to have questions about COVID-19 vaccines. Vaccines within Canada follow specific steps for approval and are tested thoroughly before use with the general public1. Understanding the process of vaccine development and approval in Canada may help you in deciding whether your child should receive a COVID-19 vaccine.
The Stages of Vaccine Development:
Scientists do basic laboratory research to find vaccines that could help us develop immunity to a disease before being exposed to it.
Scientists use laboratory and animal studies to identify safety concerns before testing with humans.
Vaccines that successfully make it to this stage are tested with human participants.
Health Canada experts review vaccines and approve them if: they are safe, they work, they meet manufacturing standards, and the benefits outweigh the risks.
For more information about COVID-19 vaccines, visit:
“I know how to talk to them about the hard stuff but I would love scripts or prompts or age-appropriate language about how to talk to your kids about COVID-19 vaccines.”
– Listen to Sandro (parent of a 5 year old)
Your child may have questions and concerns about COVID-19 vaccines.
Here are some basic COVID-19 facts to help when you talk to your child2:
Some children may have many questions while others have very few. Letting your child guide the conversation will help you answer their questions.
If your child has questions about COVID-19 vaccinations that you do not have an answer for, look for the latest information together!
Teaching your child about personal safety and vaccines can help them feel in control.
Keep checking in with your child about their questions.
The following resources on COVID-19 are designed for children:
– Listen to Leslie (parent of two 12 year old children)
Some children are nervous about getting vaccines. If your child is feeling stressed about their upcoming COVID-19 vaccine, there are some options you may want to consider to help support them.
Tips for supporting children with vaccine stress:
For more information on supporting your child when they receive a vaccine, visit:
– Listen to Pierce (parent of a 3 year old)
With all the information available for COVID-19, it can feel overwhelming sorting through what advice is trustworthy. Misinformation and disinformation can make it hard finding facts online about COVID-19 vaccines.
How to find trustworthy information online:
Check the source – look to trusted health organizations like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), World Health Organization (WHO), and Health Canada. Websites ending in .gov and .edu may be more trustworthy than other sources.
Look for scientific evidence – trustworthy articles will often link to scientific publications where they found the information.
Look at the date – try to find the latest version of information to stay up to date.
To hear a conversation between parents about COVID-19 vaccines, check out this video.
The following resources can help you figure out what health information you can trust:
How to Address COVID-19 Vaccine Misinformation | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
© ECHO Research and ARCHE, 2022. This resource may not be modified, reproduced or distributed without prior written consent of ECHO Research and ARCHE. Contact shannon.scott@ualberta.ca
This research was funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation through the Women and Children’s Health Research Institute.
Physical treatments can include physiotherapy, prescribed exercise plans, strengthening exercises, massage, and more.
Psychological treatments can include counselling or talk therapy, supportive therapy, cognitive behaviour therapy, mediation, and more. They can be provided on a one-on-one basis or in a group setting.
The information contained in the video/multimedia content (the “Multimedia”) is provided on an “as is” basis and is offered for general information and educational purposes only; it is not offered as and does not constitute professional advice. There is no guarantee about the accuracy, applicability, fitness or completeness of the information found in the Multimedia. This information is provided without warranty of any kind, and the University of Alberta, its agents, employees, and students disclaim responsibility to any party for any loss or damage of any kind that may arise directly or indirectly as a result of the use of or reliance on the information contained in the Multimedia.
These resources may not be modified, reproduced or distributed without prior written consent of ECHO Research. Contact shannon.scott@ualberta.ca.