Vaccination rates spike after introduction of P.E.I. Vax Pass

Prince Edward Island's vaccine passport has already led to an increase in vaccination rates, Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Heather Morrison says.

The P.E.I. Vax Pass launched Oct. 5, and has been required at places such as restaurants, gyms, movie theatres and more.

"So in the first week after the vax pass, we saw a 12 per cent increase in the number of doses of vaccine, or the amount of vaccine, being administered," Morrison said Thursday in an interview with CBC News: Compass's Brittany Spencer.

"Of course it only came into effect on Oct. 5, so it's still early days, but we definitely did see an increase in that first week."

The intention of P.E.I.'s vaccine passport wasn't necessarily to motivate Islanders to get fully vaccinated, Morrison said, but it is a bonus.

"That's certainly positive and not unexpected," she said. "It's not the purpose of the vax pass, but it is one of the anticipated results of introducing similar vaccination passport-type scenarios across the country."

The province plans to launch P.E.I. Vax Pass QR codes next week, but current proof-of-vaccination being used now by Islanders will still be accepted, Morrison said.

Vaccination for children 5 to 11

Parents in British Columbia are being asked to register children ages five to 11 to get vaccinated, so they will be prepared to get their COVID-19 vaccinations as soon as they're approved by Health Canada.

Morrison said she anticipates that approval to come next month, and said P.E.I.'s public health office is having meetings to discuss how vaccination for children five to 11 would work.

"We want to be as ready as we can to start administering those doses, but we really want some input as well from parents for that particular age group," she said.